Heartless Imperfection
by Venz0r
Summary: The researcher lifted his robed arms and closed his watery eyes; “I’ll see you when you’re ready. Not until then. Our paths lead to the same destination, but they aren’t parallel. Nor are they neutral paths, we must tread carefully."
1. PrologueChapter 1

Started writing this not knowing about KH II, or this new CoM, decided to submit. I felt I should get my ideas out before people think I stole them all. I was just a little lazy. An engrossing story about love, but at the same time containing all the action you enjoy with the main character, Sora. First Fan-fic, don't be too harsh with reviews.

* * *

**_Heartless Imperfection_**

**Prologue**

"I don't know where they're coming from," answered the armor-clad figure, standing before his Queen in an elaborate throne room. "Gawrsh, I wouldn't worry about it, though," He reassured her before she went pale. That's not to say she was about to, Queen Minnie wasn't one to get stressed easily. She simply nodded, and looked about the entire chamber. She was wearing a red dress of what seemed to be velvet.

"If that's all, you are dismissed," She said, with that simple, perky voice. The tall, clumsy figured stood at salute and turned to walk away. Things really were getting out of hand, they both knew.

It was true, new heartless have appeared. They looked similar to the heartless being controlled by Ansem, but they have a new sardonic-style look to them. Instead of smooth, evil looking, the heartless have grown darker and more maniacal. The leaders of the Heartless carry the insignia, except it's a white heart outlined in black, this time.

Goofy moved through the gardens, passing the various royalty that still resided in the castle regardless of the new attackers. He appeared in front of a tall, stone tower, and pushed his way through the double-wooden doors. The sound of armor rang through the spiral staircase as he trudged upward. He finally reached, after quite a few minutes, an elaborate door with a big, red heart painted onto it. He knocked softly, and came in at the bidding of a small, muffled quack.

The tall knight closed the door behind him and looked over at his long-time friend, Donald, as he studied Ansem reports, Jiminy Cricket logs, and personal correspondences of King Mickey himself.

"How long've you been at that stuff, Donald?" Goofy guffawed to himself and looked over all the sprawled papers over the extremely large desk.

"None of your business," replied the red-eyed, white-feathered duck. He made a low quack of irritation and put down the paper he was looking at. He adjusted his mage-hat. "He left us no clue, Goofy. I've been through it all, and I can't even figure any of it out. He could be anywhere."

Goofy placed a hand on Donald's shoulder, "Maybe we should just wait for him to come to us?" Donald shook his head, "It hasn't worked so far, Queen Minnie assumes far too much. We need to find him." Goofy removed the helping hand and looked out the only other exit of the tower. The balcony. He stumbled over to the edge and peered at the entrance to the castle, and smiled.

**_Heartless Imperfection_**

**Chapter I**

A large gate was there, guarding an open courtyard. Various characters stood in knight's armor in a line parallel to the gate. They were all very tall compared to the one who was screaming orders. He paced back and forth, explaining something. It wasn't audible to Goofy.

"He sure does give the kingdom a new kind of … spunk, wouldn't you say, Donald?" The duck waddled toward his friend, and looked off of the balcony to take in some sun.

"Restless is probably the word," He started, "If we could harness that energy into helping me figure out these reports, we'd probably know where King Mickey is right now." Goofy sighed, "What does he have to be restless about?" Donald gave him a slanted look, and he understood.

Things happened prior to these events, and a lot of them had to do with this trio and various other characters from alternate worlds.

* * *

"...That's not to say we're here for anything but to fight the new heartless. I'm sure other worlds, both regenerated and old, are having hard times fighting this new type of enemy, also. This is why we're letting you train our men, Sora. Strictly for defense. We aren't going on some wild duck chase," Donald didn't get to finish, when Sora interjected, 

"But if they can't go with us, and they stay, what does it matter? They can probably defeat the heartless just as quickly as I can." A shadow of doubt plagued Donald in the earnest. The brown-haired kid with a keyblade might have been correct at one time in the future, but not now.

"We're not going anywhere, besides, the Gummi Ship won't be activated without my signature. You'll have to live until I figure out where King Mickey is, or how to stop the influx of these new heartless." The short human pushed away from the table, and walked away, disappointed. Donald observed this, but said nothing, having a full plate of dinner in front of him. Goofy sat next to him on the long table, and looked at Queen Minnie for any sympathy. She merely looked at nothing in particular, next to an empty seat at the head of the table.

* * *

Sora stood at the window of his room. It was open, and he had a perfect view of the moon. And he started to say something aloud, 

"_It's hard to be perfect, _

_When I know it just isn't worth it._

_If I had known you believed in my soul,_

_I would've told you what you needed to know."_

He sighed, blinking, and leaned against the open window, moon reflecting off of a new chain around his neck, made of fine silver. "Where did that come from?" He asked himself. He looked around his room as if to find an answer, then, and saw numerous trinkets from travels that he couldn't remember. He could still summon the keyblade, but it wasn't as if it were more than a parlor trick anymore. He felt empty, but didn't know why. His clothing had changed over the year, also. Instead of the traditional garb, he wore more black, and white slacks. He traded in his yellow clog-looking shoes for smaller, black running shoes. "I need to figure out my past," He declared to no one in particular.

* * *

Donald rubbed his eyes, and stared at the boy in the seat in front of him. They were in King Mickey's tower. "I'm pretty sure you have some kind of information that would be vital to our finding the King. Just take me through what you do remember, I only want to help," He quacked. Sora crossed his arms and began. 


	2. Chapter 2

**_Heartless Imperfection_**

**Chapter II**

Sora explained certain events leading up the Kingdom Hearts, and the battle with Ansem the deceitful. This included battles with various villains, Clayton, Jafar, Ursula, Maleficent, Riku, and Ansem. "Wait," Donald blurted after Sora finished the description of the final battle. "You left out parts." He rubbed his beak with a feathered finger. When Donald asked about how they met, Sora couldn't recall. "You know, in Traverse Town?" Goofy offered. Sora slowly shook his head, resting it on his hand, supported by his elbow, resting on the desk. "Leon was there, Yuffie… All of them." Donald looked at him, half with pity, half longing to figure out the problem at hand. Sora continued, though.

_After the fight with Ansem, things got blurry. I do remember walking away from the fight, but nothing else other than appearing here with you two. You explained why we arrived, and I didn't think anything of it, or why I felt on edge. I stepped up to the gate, and…_

He stopped almost immediately, reminiscing. The sky grew gray and dull, but there was a figure in the introductory mist. "I'm still waiting, Sora, but you have to remember, first. This is all so silly, but it can't be helped, hee." The feminine voice sounded so familiar, with that added touch of laughter.

_I'm not sure why I stopped looking at her, but I turned around. I wasn't at the front gates any more. Riku was standing there, and it was just us on a grassy plain with the sky so dark. _

Riku was clad in his original clothing, just as Sora had seen it before closing the Kingdom Heart. He was looking at the ground, his white hair swaying with each movement. He was stalking closer to Sora, and, as if Sora had blinked, he had a keyblade in each hand. One was the original keyblade; the one Sora had received on that fateful night so long ago. The other was known only as "Oblivion". Sora watched as the figure strode toward him, with an outstretched arm, as if to offer Sora his own keyblade back. He was about to speak, Sora knew, but shadows appeared. Heartless Shadows crept up from the plains. They didn't look normal, though. These heartless were a little taller, with greater maniacal claws and quicker movement. Their antennae were longer and their eyes a deeper, glowing yellow.

Riku was up to the challenge, seemingly, because three of the shadows exploded almost instantaneously. Sora observed as Heartless Soldiers appeared. There were at least ten of them, plus the original throng of twenty or so Shadows. Riku wasn't about to be tested; he wielded the keyblades like a professional. A flick of his wrist, a change in his posture, and he lunged headlong into the horde of enemies. A scissor swipe with both keyblades decimated the first group of five shadows and two soldiers.

Riku then threw Oblivion into a flying heartless, it pierces the evil-looking thing and stabs into the gut of another mid-flight heartless before appearing in Riku's hand once more. Riku jumped at the group of survivors, soaring very high in the air, wind bristling his hair as the grass, and brought both keyblades atop them, creating an energy burst. Nothing was left, save the ground, sky, Riku, and Sora. Riku smiled, and handed the original keyblade to Sora. He placed a knowing hand on Sora's shoulder before disappearing in the introductory mist enveloping the entire Castle.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Heartless Imperfection_**

**Chapter III**

Sora seemingly stared at his newfound memory, but Donald wasn't concerned about that which he just described. "I don't even know who that girl was, do you?"

Donald quickly shook his head, "She's probably unimportant." Goofy gave him a look, but Donald waved his feathered hand. "Get some rest, I'll call for you, Sora." And so the boy with the unkempt hair stepped out of sight, silently wandering through oceans of thoughts on his way to his room.

"Now why didn't you tell him?" Goofy blurted. "He had a right to remember, and you could have solved all his memory problems then and there!" He was really serious, despite his name.

Donald looked at him, "Because if he didn't have something to search for," He waddled away from his seat to turn his glance toward the window, "He would be bound to us. And we need him. We went through this already, more than once." He gave a knowing look to his comrade.

Sora dragged himself into the room and fell forward onto his bed, promptly falling asleep. What he failed to notice was the keyblade that had appeared in his hand before he slept.

"Three worlds you have to visit, two of them created by greed and anger. You've been to one of the three before, haven't you? Very long ago?"

Sora found himself in another strange dream-realm, asking himself old questions. "Is any of this real?" He trudged forward, feeling he had to put up with it this time. It was cold, too, he began to notice. As Sora faced the darkness swelling in front of him, he began to notice a few figures begin to etch themselves away from the whole. These few became three faces. They began to take shape and form, while gaining colors and depth before his very sight. "Now listen closely," Said a voice, far off, but so close.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Heartless Imperfection_ **

**Chapter IV**

Sora leaned over the rail, overlooking the grand Gummi Factory Room. A combination of cogs and gizmos and wheels littered the walls and floor, minus the raised platforms. The boy looked around, the layout of the Factory was changed, he was able to hop into the Gummi Ship without any notice, at least until Queen Minnie appeared in the doorway.

"Sora, wait," She began, and walked slowly closer, not to alarm him.

"Nothing's going to make me stay, I have to do something," His blue eyes were examining the Ship in front of him, rolling to and fro, until Minnie placed a hand clad in silk on his shoulder, to turn him around to face her kneeling.

"I know why you're leaving, I was prepared for this night for a long time. I'm surprised time passed so quickly," She started to babble, having grown protective of Sora over the past year of his staying at the castle. "But," She started to amend, "There's something you need to know." Tears formed in her large, unreadable eyes, streaming to the tip of her pitch-black nose. "You can't look back, Sora. Remember that. I'm sending Donald and Goofy after you, and when that's done, my world will cease to exist for a while." Despite the boy's horror-ridden expression, she hugged him, and gave him a light shove into the Gummi Ship.

Sora placed a hand on the cockpit glass of his favorite ship, Excalibur, and Minnie waved him off. His destination: A place called Midgar.

Sora re-designed most of the Gummi Factory himself. He activated the launch sequence, and Excalibur fired up. Crying, he held onto the controls, and activated his warp out of the world.

It started to rain; Kingdom Guards were on the walls and parapets, overlooking the battle plain on the other side of the safe gate. "Archers! Let loose! Footmen! Follow me!" Donald screamed, his incessant quacking rousing the entire fighting body. Goofy was following close behind, through the elements. Taller, darker Shadows lurked in the front, dodging the projectiles quite easily, by switching form. None fell to the arrow swarm, but they were slowing down exceptionally. Donald was issuing a command to open the gate, before Queen Minnie appeared.

"What are you doing, your Highness? Get back in the castle! We can handle this!" He began to call for Sora, but Queen Minnie shook her head. "Donald, they've already penetrated our borders. They don't have to go through the main gate." She pointed to the back and sidewalls, Shadows oozing over and into rooms. Donald let out a quack of horror, but the Queen held him close. "You need to follow Sora, now, it's what you've been meant to do the whole time. We will fall here, regardless of what you try to do to stop it. You must take a Gummi Ship and follow him, if not, I will order you to." She looked at him, baleful.

Donald and Goofy looked at her for a moment, but soon nodded in agreement. There would be a way to return things to normal, eventually…


	5. Chapter 5

**_Heartless Imperfection_ **

**Chapter V**

He landed Excalibur decently close to the city. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. A great landscape of industry, gas and fog everywhere. Seven huge structures dotting an enclosed circle and seemed to spew even more vaporous substances. They all seemed to connect at the middle point, the grandest structure in the entire city. Shin-Ra Headquarters, though Sora didn't know what it would be called.

* * *

His hair tattered in the wind; the blonde-haired man overlooked the landing of the new, funny-looking vessel. A long blade was slung across his back, and he had a gloved hand on the hilt. It shone a brilliant teal in the sunlight, defiant of rust and dull edges. He was on the edge of an unfinished highway, accompanied by two tall humans. "Is that what we're here for, Cloud?" He merely nodded, and began to climb down a conveniently placed chain to the ground.

* * *

Sora was busy closing the cockpit to Excalibur when two strangely dressed females and a man approached him. A helicopter flew by, and as they got approached, Heartless appeared. The keyblade appeared in Sora's gloved hand, but Cloud called out, "There are too many, we have to move inside."

Sora looked around, and watched as uncountable heartless thundered across the dusty plains. Large, small, flying, the horde marched toward Midgar.

* * *

Donald pulled the Gummi ship out of the warp, still expressionless from previous events. Goofy was looking out the cockpit window, watching as they started to meet the ground. "Why is it all black down there, Donald?"

The duck looked down for a moment, "It's not all black, look-," He paused, noticing Sora's Gummi Ship amidst the darkness, being swallowed before his very eyes. "No!" He exclaimed, quacking, and pulled his own Gummi Ship into a dive, blasters firing. "It's the Heartless!" Announced Goofy, holding onto his seat in the ship. Donald decimated a long line of the evil creatures only to see the ground covered by the same monsters again.

"D'ya think Sora was still in the ship?" asked Goofy, his white-gloved hand to his mouth. The two had changed into un-formal clothing before leaving. Goofy wore a black vest with an orange under-shirt, and blue slacks with brown shoes. Donald kept his sky-blue garb, a long-sleeved shirt and hat.

Donald looked away, deciding to land somewhere in the huge city. They would have to look for him, if he had survived.

"This place is worse than anything I've ever had nightmares of," Donald declared, after he and Goofy had walked around a Slums area for about an hour. This place was composed of mainly humans, poor and hungry. They were surrounded by scraps of material, all items before them far more industrious and technological than Donald's world would ever be.

"Why would Sora come to a place like this?" Goofy asked no one in particular as they went forward, past numerous humans. He wrinkled his nose at the stench lying around particular homes, usually shacks made of cheap metals and sheet rock. "Who knows," Donald replied, before he nearly fell over. A woman in pink shoved through, not seeing him, and almost knocked him flat on his beak. "Watch it, lady!" He screamed, fist shaking. She turned around. Holding onto her hand was a child in a pretty dress with short, brown hair. "Sorry Donald," The woman said, she started to turn away. She froze, and looked back at the duck. "Donald?"

The shorter figure shrugged, "Good to see you, too, Aerith."

She looked past him in horror, as men in blue started to approach them. "Shin-Ra!"

The duo turned around to face five men with masks on, and elaborate uniforms. The antagonists pointed their weapons at Aerith, "We're only here for the woman, you two, get out of the way." Goofy let out a "hyuck", and dashed at them, shield in front. It was sterling-edged and had a King Mickey symbol on the front. Donald waved his Wand, and two of the soldiers fell, stunned by lightning. Goofy stumbled over to the other three, pushing one flat on his back, and knocking out another with a swift slap to the face via shield. The last one threw a grenade, and began to run. Donald pushed Aerith and the little girl away, and took the brunt of the grenade's force. A simple cure healed him after all was done.

Goofy watched the Shin-Ra soldier run away, apparently to tell his officers where Aerith was heading. Donald turned to the tall, longhaired woman. She had a pink bow in her hair, and she was smiling at her old friend. "What're you doing all the way out here, Donald," She asked.

"Looking for Sora," He said, "Have you seen him?"

Aerith nodded simply and dragged the shorter female with her, walking toward an exit to the slums. Donald and Goofy stumbled past a group of onlookers and followed closely.

"Cloud, Tifa and I found him on the edge of Midgar, just before the Heartless came. He came at exactly the right time, oddly." She explained while getting ready to leave again.

Donald watched her, "So he's still alive," He asked.

She nodded, and stepped toward the exit of her house. Before she touched the doorknob, it turned, and Tseng of the Turks pushed the door open. "Who's he?" Donald quacked, ready for a fight.

"None of your business, meddling duck," Tseng, a long, black haired man in a blue suit cast a magic spell on him, throwing him into a wall. As Goofy charged, Tseng cast the same spell and tossed him against the stairs, near where the little girl was watching, an old woman holding her tight.

Aerith screamed, "Leave them alone! Take me with you," She threw up her arms, forcing Tseng to refrain from using his magic on her mother and the child. Tseng complied, smiling, and began to lead her away. "Mother! Point Donald and Goofy toward Sector Seven! The pillar! Sora's there!" Tseng turned his wrist on her arm, causing her to cry out as he forced her out of the house, closing the door on his way out.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Heartless Imperfection_**

**Chapter VI**

Elmyra was an older woman, now in the care of a little girl named Marlene. She wore a long green dress and kept her hair up with a simple hair band. "You two come from … another world?"

Donald nodded as Goofy recovered from the attack. "We'd better get going, we need to find our friend."

The human woman nodded, "Well, it's quite easy to get to Sector seven from here… you just-," She explained quickly, not wanting to waste time. Her directions were quite simple, though there was no path or road to the pillar. "Tell them that Marlene is safe, would you?"

Donald blinked, "If they're there, we'll be sure to." With that, he made his way for the exit.

"Have a nice day," Goofy waved, and followed Donald.

Marlene clutched to Elmyra and cried, asking if her daddy would come back. The older female simply wept, feeling the loss of her daughter, Aerith.

* * *

Sora followed Cloud and Tifa, up a square, winding staircase. _He really moves fast with that giant sword on his back,_ he thought to himself, as they approached a dying, lanky friend. When asked about the Planet, Cloud answered, "Not interested." 

"Hmph… you haven't changed. Oh, forget it." The man answered on his last breath.

Tifa shed a tear, and moved upward. Sora watched the busty, long-legged, and exceedingly long black-haired woman, but looked back on the man called Biggs, a man Sora would never meet. The man was a part of the anti-Shin-Ra group called "Avalanche". The members met up in Tifa's bar in Sector 7 often to come up with another terrorist movement. Cloud was battle-hardened, and Tifa an old hometown friend. They put their past behind, and went on, as long as Cloud got his money.

Guns were firing, bullets snapping against the staircase here and there. The only constant sound was that of a machine gun, at the top of the metal staircase. When Cloud approached another comrade, they found she was dying, also. "...Cloud... I'm glad... I could talk with you... one last time."

He looked at her for a moment, then replied, "Is that so…"

"...Is…that so...? Ha... cool... as usual... ex-... SOLDIER... always... I liked that... in you..."

He passed her up when she fell limp, and he trudged on with Tifa, Sora following close behind. They finally reached the top, after many flights of metallic noise and bullet fire. Cloud's sword rang loud with malice as he began to cut down flying robots, kept aloft by two helicopters. Halving one, he turned to stab the other, disabling it, and at last leaped to cut one down from flight, he proceeded to land on his feet. Barret glared at him, "We ain't outta' this yet!" He pointed toward a helicopter dropping off a Turk known to them as Reno. He ran toward the command console of the Sector Seven Pillar, and looked at his enemy.

"You're too late. Once I push this button..." His hand motions toward the console, tapping it. An acknowledging 'blip' sounds. "That's all, folks! Mission accomplished."

"We have to disarm it! Cloud! Barret! Please!" Tifa cried aloud, moving toward the Turk.

He moved in her way, equipping his short, battle rod. "I can't have you do that. No one gets in the way of Reno and the Turks..."

Cloud steadied his weapon, and rushed the blue-suited, red haired man. His first motion set Reno on guard, and the man cast "Pyramid" on the Ex-Soldier. As soon as Barret readied his machine gun-arm, Reno cast the same spell on him. Tifa cried aloud, "We have to beat him, Sora! We have to!" The boy nodded, and ran forward to battle.

Reno parried his keyblade attack, and smacked the boy from another world away. "Who is this wimp? Avalanche seems to be recruiting anyone from the slums these days…" Tifa, enraged, ran at the Turk.

Surprised and taken unaware, the Turk didn't have time to defend against her assault. The woman batted his chin with her left knuckle, struck his stomach with her right fist, and kicked him in the gonads. After casting a simple electricity spell to send Tifa tumbling, the man uttered, "It's time," And jumped off of the pillar area, where Cloud and Barret were promptly released from their Pyramid prisons.

"Cloud! I don't know how to stop this. Try it!" Tears were forming in her eyes, knowing they had little time.

The blonde-haired mercenary looked at it for a moment, tapped it, but shook his head. "…It's not a normal time bomb."

Suddenly, a large metallic object hovered up to the platform. Tseng was on it, looking down at the party.

"That's right. You'll have the hard time disarming that one. It'll blow the second some stupid jerk touches it." Tseng said.

Tifa looked up, "Please, stop it!"

Tseng laughed, "Hahaha... Only a Shin-Ra Executive can set up or disarm the Emergency Plate Release System."

"Shut yer hole!" The big, dark-skinned man shouted, aiming at Tseng, and firing with his machine gun-arm.

Tseng's expression becomes serious as he shouts over the bullets, "I wouldn't try that… You might make me injure our special guest." He waves his hand to Aerith, who promptly raises her head.

Tifa reaches out to the helicopter, "Aerith!"

Sora's eyes lit up. _These men take hostages?_

"Oh, you know each other? How nice you could see each other one last time. You should thank me." Tseng grinned.

"What're you gonna' do with Aerith," Screamed Cloud, breaking his apathetic expression quite quickly.

Tseng looked at the mercenary for a long moment. "I haven't decided. Our orders were to find and catch the last remaining Ancient. It's taken us a long time, but now I can finally report this to the President."

Aerith was about to say something, when Tseng motioned for the helicopter to flee the scene. She shouted something inaudible, and disappeared in the deep fog underneath the Sector 7 Plate.

Sora's heart raced, _what can I do?_ He looked around the platform, and saw two familiar faces.

Donald and Goofy panted, not quite accustomed to climbing strange stairways. "Sora!" Goofy screamed, breathless.

Sora smiled, but the Pillar started to explode, causing the platform to rumble. The boy turned, Cloud was motioning to him. The blonde was calling orders to Donald and Goofy. Two wires were latched onto the rail of the platform. Sora began to run toward his other friends as fast as his legs would carry him. His hearing started to fail as the explosion nearly reached him. Suddenly, he felt a slice of pain on the side of his head, and the world promptly went black.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Heartless Imperfection_**

**Chapter VII**

It was dark again, Sora knew. "This is getting monotonous." He whispered to himself as his footwear clapped against the hard floor. He stood on a great pillar, though it wasn't much like the one he saw being destroyed. It was all solid stone, and wasn't being eradicated. The boy ran a hand through his hair and looked up. A dark portal was forming in front of him. Black energy seemed to gather at the center, spreading its particles to form a circle. "We must find him… Oh, Sephiroth…" A black robed and hooded figure brushed against Sora, sending a chill up the boy's spine. "The reunion, yes?" Another one walked toward the darkness forming.

Sora looked around. When his gaze returned to the portal, a hideous creature stood before him. "Come, my child… Don't be afraid," It said, though it had no mouth for which to speak.

* * *

"We found him on the outskirts of Midgar," Cloud explained to Donald. Goofy was looking out the window on one of two grassy areas in this area of Midgar. They were back at Aerith's house. "We also need to act fast. I don't know what Shin-Ra plans to do with her." The tall human walked to a wall, and leaned against it.

Donald nodded, "Goofy, Sora, and I will help you get Aerith back. But I would like to know what's going on," The duck walked up to Cloud, tapping his webbed feet against the floor, a hardened expression covering his face.

The man looked down at him, expressionless. This was his classic face. "Well, it all began right after you three defeated Ansem, and the worlds started to recreate themselves."

Sora tossed and turned in the bed Cloud had slept in at one time. Marlene was running back and forth for Tifa as she attempted to bandage the boy's head. He was starting to sweat; Tifa figured he was getting a fever from the wound. There was also something strange about him. While he was restlessly moving, his keyblade was in his hand. Despite their efforts to take it from him, the weapon just appeared in his waiting hand. Barret was watching from the doorway, assisting Marlene in any way he could. Donald told them he couldn't heal a wound caused by something natural from another world, counting falling objects.

She remembered very clearly watching a piece of debris hit the poor boy's head as he was running toward them. She pushed the hair away from her face and finished the bandage. She also remembered Barret's small outburst about their friends from Avalanche. The man was still torn up about it, and she didn't pressure him any further.

* * *

Goofy started to absorb the knowledge gained from the Ex-Soldier. Donald waited a moment, but turned to Cloud to say, "Our Gummi Ship can hold up to six people, and it could get us to where Aerith is. We just need to find it again."

Cloud looked down at him, "Is it fast?"

The duck snorted, quacking, "Of course it's fast. Sora needs to recover anyway."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter VIII**

Sora opened his eyes. The dull light was nearly enough to blind him. He put a hand up to his eyes, and noticed his gloves were removed. After a quick feel, he noticed just his shirt was also taken away. The slim youth rubbed his brilliant, blue eyes and removed himself from the bed. He found his shirt hanging, and his gloves on the floor.

After donning his clothing, Sora felt his head. A large patch covered the left side of his head, just above his ear, leaving behind a sharp sensation of pain. The boy refrained from touching it and pushed his way out of the room and down the wooden staircase. Tifa was sitting at the table, having a talk with Marlene.

She looked up, and whispered something to Marlene. The little girl ran around to prepare something for Sora to drink. The boy sat down at the table, his eyes following Marlene.

"Your friends will get back soon, they just went to retrieve your Gummi Ship." Sora looked toward her and simply nodded.

"What happened," He asked, suddenly. "Well, when I fell down, I mean."

She smiled at him and started to manipulate a few strands of her hair between two gloved fingers. "You were hit by falling debris from the pillar. Cloud jumped from our escape ropes, picked you up, and we swung away, out of Sector seven. Your friends followed us, too."

Sora slowly absorbed this, mouth agape. "I see…"

He then went over events in his head, recalling a few images. As of a sudden, other thoughts returned to him. The red-haired girl from his year-old dream, the white-haired boy, and one new image, one of which he could not recall ever having. It was that of a tall man carrying a long Masamune blade, beckoning Sora to come forward. He was clad in all black, clashing for attention with his long, white hair.

Sora's stomach started to disagree with his previous meal, whichhe had whenaboard the Gummi Ship, and he asked to be excused; though Tifa thought it was an after-effect of the 'fever'.

* * *

Donald piloted the Gummi Ship to land in a small clearing near Elmyra's home, amidst a few flower patches. Afternearly fifteen minutes, Sora greeted them with open arms. "Goofy, Donald!" The trio has been reunited once again. 


	9. Chapter 9

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter IX**

Sora sat near the cockpit window, thinking to himself. Cloud directed Donald while Goofy made comments on his driving. "You drive as bad as Sora," He chuckled, giving Sora a playful slap on his back. The boy smiled briefly, and turned to the window.

All he could see through the fog and smog was the faint light of a Mako Reactor not too far away. On the way to the biggest building in Midgar, Cloud explained some of the matter-of-fact things about Midgar. "Mako energy is harvested, via the Reactors. They're sucking the Planet's energy at an exceedingly alarming rate. Did you ever wonder why the plains all around Midgar are so desolate?" The thought left Sora shivering.

The Gummi Ship was set down on the front door of the Shin-Ra Headquarters building. The group stepped off. The ragtag group looked quite amusing at first glance. Two non-humans, a fifteen-year old boy, a grown man with a big sword, an attractive lady with fists of fury, and a large man with a machine gun grafted to his arm.

Barret motioned toward Cloud, "Hey, you oughta know this building well."

Cloud shook his head, "...Not really, now that I think about it, this's the first time I've ever been to the Headquarters."

Barret shrugged, "I heard about this place before. Every floor above the 60th is special and not easy to get to even for employees," He paused to think, "Must be where they took Aerith. The security's pretty light now. Awright, let's go!" The dark-skinned man started to run toward the building.

Tifa calls out, "Wait a second! You're not thinking of just going right through the main entrance, are you?"

Barret stopped and promptly turned to her, "Well what else does it look like!? I'm gonna kick some Shinra butt, and…"

Tifa shook her head and placed her gloved hands on her curvy hips, "That's not going to work! We've got to find another way..."

Barret snorted, "Ain't gonna be no other way! If we keep wastin' time like this, Aerith'll..."

Sora looked at Cloud, "I think we can make it if we went quietly, faster than getting held up by security, at least." His blue eyes scanned the man's expressionless face.

Cloud adjusted his shoulder guard, a metallic, spiked arm covering, "We'll do it Tifa's way, follow me."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter X**

Sora, Donald, Tifa, Barret, and Goofy were panting, sweating, and everything by the time they began to stop. "Forty-six… Forty-seven…" Sora counted aloud, having trouble keeping up with Cloud. He had the heaviest weapon, by far, and could still climb stairs faster than any other. "How does … _pant_ … he do it," He asked Tifa, who was climbing at his side. "Forty-eight…"

She looked up, "He was, previously, a part of an elite Shin-Ra team, called SOLDIER. He joined up… Forty-nine… With Avalanche recently, as a mercenary." She smiled, and continued the seemingly never-ending journey up.

Sora looked at him. His eyes did seem to glow; perhaps it was a mark or something. He turned backward, and almost began to laugh at his friends struggling to keep up. "Fifty…"

* * *

Everyone but Cloud took a breather at the last floor, the fifty-ninth. Sora collapsed against a gray wall, having a lack of rest since they took on this endeavor to climb stairs. 

"We're here…" Barret panted.

"Not quite," Cloud said, "We have more than a few more floors to pass.

The hallway was dank and cold; two things the three visitors were unaccustomed to. When his lungs were getting oxygen more easily, Sora stood up and faced Cloud, whom presently pressed onward, through a metallic door. As soon as they passed that threshold, the company found themselves in a sort of trap.

A few Shin-Ra guards ran up to them. "So much for getting to Aerith without a fight…"

Cloud rushed them and, with a war cry, he begun battle with ELITE Shin-Ra to the left of the group. Sora, Donald, and Goofy went toward the right side, to combat green-suited men and regular Shin-Ra soldiers. Tifa went toward the main officer of the entire Shin-Ra group on the floor. Barret, meanwhile, didn't risk hitting his allies with his main weapon, and held back until an opportunity presented itself.

A hack, slash, and swipe reduced the elites to nothing but a heap. Donald made quick work of a Shin-Ra with a magic spell called, "Fira". Goofy batted at his own enemy until the man clearly fell into an open elevator shaft, labeled, "Out of Service". The lanky off-world visitor guffawed and began to attack his next target.

Sora, however, was making the best progress out of all three. Nailing one lower-class officer with the keyblade, jumping up and kicking another in the mask, knocking him out, and batting the last one down with a combination of keyblade swings.

Tifa dodged the main-officer's main weapon, a notorious Butterfly Edge sword, and landed a blow smack-dab in his lower jaw. After a moment of him lying there, the woman knelt down atop him, and proceeded to punch his face repeatedly. Cloud watched from afar, looking away. Barret stumbled over a body, and held Tifa back from the lifeless Shin-Ra. Sora watched, unsure of what to say.

Tifa wiped away a tear, "I'm fine."

The tall, gruff man gave a look of understanding, "No matter what we do to Shin-Ra now, it ain't goin' to bring back the lives lost under that plate."

Sora understood, finally. Sector seven was their previous home. Their friends and family must have…

The only female in the group produced a Maximum Security keycard, taken from the lead officer, which would lead them to the highest level in Shin-Ra. After studying a map plastered on the wall of the building, they decided to go to start searching on the level below the top.

Cloud and the group got out of this elevator in a long hallway. They followed the corridor until they arrived at a large containment area. The walls and ceiling were, of course, made of metal. A large stasis area encased by glass lay before them and a mysterious man in a white lab suit is standing in front of it. Was there something in the stasis capsule? "Aerith," Cloud ran forward.

The man known only as Hojo turned around to them, "Aerith? Oh, is that her name? What do you want?"

Hojo is the lead scientist at Shin-Ra, always experimenting. Known mostly for his work on the Ancients, an old race of beings all but forgotten, though most of his sources are unknown.

Cloud pointed his weapon at Hojo, "We're taking Aerith back."

Hojo muttered, "Outsiders..."

"There's so many frivolous things in this world," Hojo began, until Barret aimed his machine gun-arm at the scientist. "Are you going to kill me? I don't think you should. The equipment here is extremely delicate. Without me, who could operate it? Hmm?"

Cloud knew he was right, and stepped back, "Ugh."

Hojo let out a wimpy laugh, "That's right. I recommend you think things out logically before you make any rash moves. Now bring in the Specimen!" The black-haired man motioned to his assistant on a high catwalk, an elevator sounded, and the floor began to shake.

Sora felt something strange eclipse over his heart at that moment. The sensation of shadow on it threw him to his knees, the keyblade appearing without him calling it. Goofy and Donald shifted their gaze from the stasis area to Sora, now. Sora held his chest, "My heart," He managed to utter, "It feels like it's going to burst!"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XI**

"This isn't going as planned!" Hojo ran at the glass encasing Aerith. The female was frightened, begging to be released. The black-haired man with glasses fumbled at the stasis lock. "Aha!" He opened it, and Aerith pushed the man down, and ran toward Cloud.

The mercenary smiled, but was thrown off-balance. It felt as if the building was experiencing an earthquake. Lights flashed, soon dimming, and turned off.

Sora couldn't see anything, though due to the lights turning off or his fading consciousness he didn't know, but he did feel the pain in his chest.

A large crash, the sound of glass cracking and flying, signaled the arrival of it.

As soon as the floodlights clicked on, the group could see Hojo being picked up by a long, purple tentacle. The tentacle could be traced to a headless atrocity. "Jenova…" Cloud said aloud, filled with awe. His glowing eyes studied the monster for but a moment, and Hojo was rejected by it with a vicious throw. The frail scientist hit a metallic wall, face first, and now lays motionless. Jenova stood many feet taller than anyone in the group, and had many tentacles originating from her smooth, sheer body. She was malformed, though no hint of humanity seemed to exist in the gruesome atrocity.

"We can take it, attack!" Cloud roared, and ran toward the monstrosity that was known only as Jenova.

Barret let out a grand roar as he began to open fire on the enemy.

The lights were on, he noticed. His friends were running at a huge monster, but they seemingly failed to notice the shadows forming on the ceilings and floor. One reached out and nearly grabbed Tifa, but the woman dodged it. "Heartless!"

The sardonic dark-embodiments have arrived. While Jenova dealt with Cloud, who seemed experienced enough to take it one on one, the rest of the group was forced to destroy the heartless.

Sora stood up, finding renewed strength. The chosen one of the keyblade put his experience to the test.

* * *

Now that Donald wasn't watching over his friend, he found everyone else was in a bit of trouble. He let out a quack of dismay and started to destroy the heartless with magic. Goofy did what he could, making them disappear by slapping then with his main weapon, the shield.

* * *

Sora hacked his way toward Cloud, gutting and destroying the Shadows along the way. They would disappear, but two more would take the place where one fell, occasionally three. Jenova spoke, though without a mouth, "Come to me, my children…" 

So the Heartless seemed to gather by the indescribable monster, crawling all over it. Shadows formed into extra tentacles, arms, and a few formed into a head for the atrocity. "They make me complete, you see… If you should want to be complete, you would embrace your darkest sides…" She said, though no one knew what she meant.

"Attack!" Cloud roared, doing some damage to Jenova's side. The monster whipped Cloud away, and held off Tifa's punches by simply lifting her in the air. Barret's weapon seemed to be doing the most damage, causing Jenova to writhe in pain. The creature began to leak blackened substance, and screamed aloud in frustration, "You will not defeat me!" And lashed out at Barret, knocking the man off of his feet. He hit the floor, and dizzily aimed at the monster again.

Sora stepped forward, "Don't fire, I think the keyblade can finish it. You might hurt Tifa." It was true, the monster held Tifa in Barret's way. Knowing this, the big man put down his weapon, "Go on, kid. Save the day."

Sora would have smiled, and ran toward Jenova. Dodging a tentacle, hacking at another, the boy made his way toward it with the help of Donald's magic and Goofy's support.

He leapt up to the monster's "chest" area, and thrust his keyblade into it. Despite his doubts, the evil thing cried out, hurt inconsiderably.

At that moment, Sora was shoved hard, keyblade and all. He started to fall, and would have hit his head again if not for Goofy catching him.

"It's Sephiroth!"


	12. Chapter 12

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XII**

Sora shook the dizziness from his vision and caught a glimpse of the man from his most recent unrecognizable thought. The man with the Masamune blade, white hair and all, stood before them now. Sephiroth landed gracefully on his feet, facing Cloud. "Heathens, all! Move out of the way while Mother and I kill your leader."

Cloud grimaced silently, Aerith watched, and Barret grumbled. Jenova had let go of Tifa after Sora's quick strike at its chest. Donald and Goofy trembled in fear, wonder what was to happen.

Jenova was quite obviously hurt, leaking black fluid of life. The creature let out another horrifying cry, and Sephiroth maintained eye contact with Sora. As if given an order, the man looked away from him, and locked blades with Cloud.

The white-haired man clearly had an advantage over the spiked-blonde. The Masamune won over Cloud's "Buster Sword", and Sephiroth smacked Cloud's weapon aside. A punch in the face, and a knee to his gut; Cloud was put out of it. Sephiroth turned to Aerith. Jenova screamed, and the man walked past her. Aerith kneeled at Cloud's head, and placed her hands on his head. As long as Sephiroth wasn't going to gut her like a fish, she might as well heal her friend.

Barret stepped back from him, but Sephiroth moved closer. Jenova's son took a hold of Barret's throat, and held him aloft. Barret swung his big arms at him, attempting to force him off. Tifa ran up to him, and started to bash his back with her fists. Sephiroth took the blows, seemingly paying no heed. He then proceeded to toss the bigger man across the room. A swift slap at Tifa nearly sent her flying as well. Barret's machine gun-arm screeched along the floor, nearly deafening the others. Tifa landed amongst the broken glass shards from the stasis area.

Goofy put up his shield, and attempted to rush Sephiroth. Sephiroth used his Masamune to deflect Goofy, sending him flying with a yowl, "Yoooo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoooo!"

Donald started to shake, unsure of what to do. This man had single-handedly swatted his friends away like flies. Sephiroth cast him a glance, and laughed. He proceeded past the duck to face Sora.

"You're the only worthy one here. But, you could be worth even more if you would-" Jenova let out a gut-wrenching moan. "Ah, well. We'll talk about it later." Sephiroth walked up to Sora, tapped him on the shoulder, and walked toward the corridor that led to the stairway.

Sora, frozen in panic, only watched as Jenova passed him also. "W-we've gotta' to follow them!" Sora shook himself out of the trance.

Aerith looked up, "Cloud's out of it."

Sora grimaced. "Well, I think I can take Jenova," He looked toward his two off world friends. "Will you two distract Sephiroth for me?"

Barret and Tifa stepped up. Barret brushed some dust from his clothing. "After what he just did to me, I'm gonna' make him pay."

Tifa managed to smile at him, "You three should destroy Jenova, and Barret and I will distract Sephiroth."

Sora looked at her for a moment, then nodded. He looked past them, "We'll be back, Aerith!"

With that, the group sped toward the stairs, noticing huge claw marks in the walls on the way up.

Aerithcaressed Cloud's cheek with her hand, and closed her eyes, hoping they would survive.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XIII**

Sora looked away from the walls, and kept running forward. At his heels, Donald and Goofy followed. Tifa and Barret, two of the last members of the anti-Shin-Ra group Avalanche led the way.

"What did Shin-Ra do to make you hate them?" Sora asked, suddenly. When they reached the top of the steps to the last floor of the building, Barret and Tifa looked at the young boy.

"Shin-Ra wrecked me, and burned my village down, unjustly. There's a lot to be answered for." Barret said, opening up to Sora, "The Turks are a part of Shin-Ra, if you haven't noticed, too."

Tifa looked at him, obviously affected by his statements. "I didn't know that…" The woman placed a hand on his arm.

He looked down at her, then back to Sora, "Let's go."

The boy nodded, needing nothing more to question anyone's motives.

* * *

"My theories can be proven! Look at my reports for yourself!" The cloaked figure placed a pale hand over a few sheets of paper. A man with a girth that didn't match his height falls over his desk, the Masamune in his back. The man who just spoke lifted his black hood away from his face. He had an emaciated frame, held together by nothing but fragile bones tormented with arthritis. He placed a frail, pale hand against his balding head, a landscape of skin with a few patches of snow-white hair. "If you give me some time, I can apply it properly. I need the correct specimens, among other things. A laboratory." He looked at Sephiroth, who remained expressionless.

Jenova was there, looking out and onto the Shin-Ra Headquarters roof, into the black of the night. Four Turks were leaning against the President's desk. Reno turned to Tseng, "How about the long, black-haired one?"

Tseng shook his head. Elena, a shorter, blonde-haired woman coughed, "We should be focusing on the mission at hands, sirs." The red-haired man nodded, grinning.

Rude, a completely bald man with shades nodded as well, and turned to Jenova.

"We must be going, my son. I must heal, and you can defeat them later. That is, if they do not steer from their path of justice." Jenova opened a dark portal, looking much like the one from Sora's recent sleep-dream.

Sephiroth turned from Jenova to the old man. "I'll look them over, hand them to me."

At that instant, Barret let loose a few bullets to the Shin-Ra President's desk. The two men instantly turned their heads, and the older man dropped his papers. A few bullet holes dotted his wrist and arm. "No!" He fell to his knees.

Sephiroth reclaimed his Masamune, and walked calmly toward the oldster. "On second thought, I've no concern for your babblings and ravings about hearts. Good bye, Doctor."

With that, Sephiroth grabbed his collar, and with a flick of his wrist, he let the oldster glide into a nearby pillar.

Jenova and the Turks were already through the darkened warp hole by the time Sora reached the President's desk. Sephiroth took a look at him, and followed his mother.

"No!" Sora jumped for it. He narrowly missed it, sprawling out of the chamber's room and flipping against the roof's railway. He hit the concrete with a thud, against his back. He looked up to a man in a white suit and black gloves. His hair shone in the moonlight, a deeper blonde than Cloud's hair.

"Who might you be," He asked, helping Sora up with a strong hand.

Sora looked up to him, "I, uh…" Just then, Tifa stepped onto the roof.

"Vice-President Rufus of Shin-Ra, I presume."

The man turned to her. "That would be me." He looked past her, "Oh, pity. It seems my father has finally done himself in. I wonder if this has anything to do with the scientist he recently hired." Rufus shoved past Tifa and walked into the huge office.

Tifa showed a look of disgust and followed him into the room, followed by Sora. The new President kneeled at the oldster's body, but the old man wasn't there. Just his dark cloak and hood were left. "Where is he?"

Barret gave him a questioning motion, "Where's who?"

Rufus bolted up and grabbed Barret by his shirt collar, "The old man! He's vital to my operation!"

Barret shoved him away with brute force, "He ain't there, I checked him right after Sephiroth threw him into the pillar. He's just disappeared."

Rufus looked around the room; his eyes seemed to nearly bug out. He looked down at the cloak, turned his gaze to Sora, and regained composure. He slicked back his hair with his gloved hand. "Alright, a minor set back." Thus, he began to gather red-stained papers near the cloak.

Barret stepped forward and aimed his weapon at the President. "Step away from those papers if you value your life, Rufus."

Tifa, Donald, and Goofy stepped forward too, and each nodded.

"You're outnumbered," Said Tifa.

Rufus laughed aloud, "Am I?"

A wolf-type creature leapt from the roof access, and tackled Sora. Catching the boy off-guard and from behind, it began to instinctively gnaw at the boy's neck.

Cloud lunged from the stairway with amazing speed and grace. Despite the bulky weapon he carried, the blonde lifted himself into the air and did a single flip over Sora, cutting the mongrel in half. The man landed, skidding to a stop on the marble tile.

Rufus lifted his gaze to him, and merely snapped his fingers. "I've embraced the darker side of things, haha."

Thus did the Heartless appear again. Shadows outnumbered the group two to one, but Soldiers added onto those odds making it more or less four to one. "Get them!"

Sora lifted his hand, despite a vicious bite mark on his neck. The keyblade appeared, and reacted toward the area the evil portal was erected by Jenova. "What's happening-," The boy felt the surge of his life energy, and warmth, flow out of him, toward the portal.

Aerith watched Sora, "He's falling!"

Cloud looked toward the area Aerith pointed to, and, after having finished an entire group of Shadows with a sideswipe, hopped toward Sora.

Barret let loose gunfire on Soldiers flying around the ceiling area, while Tifa batted at the Soldiers hovering near the ground. Goofy and Donald dealt with the majority of Shadows, batting them with weapons, casting magic, and dodging enemy attacks.

Sora fell into a crowd of evil Shadows, which began to claw at him. The last vision Sora had in conscious thought was that of a face he finally recognized again.

_Kairi…_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XIV**

"It's getting bigger!"

The group finished off the last of the Heartless, and turned toward a newly formed portal. Cloud lifted Sora from the desk, and strode toward Aerith. He placed Sora in her arms, and drew his Buster Sword. Barret grabbed hold of Rufus's shoulder, and kept him in check.

"He's cold," Aerith exclaimed, and placed him on his back, against the floor. She studied him, and felt a hint of breathing emanating from his lungs.

A scream broke the paused silence as a figure dropped down before the group of fighters. "The heck," he said, coughing on dust. It was a boy, not older than Sora. In relation to the chosen keyblade master, this one had close-cropped, black hair with emerald green eyes. He was dressed in a black t-shirt that read on the front, "Old School" with pixilated pictures around the text. Jeans clung to his slim legs and thighs, barely covering a pair of boxer shorts jutting from his backside. He wore strange white running shoes, also. He brushed some dust off of his shoulders, and looked at the men and women before him. "Whoa, I think I should've listened to mom when she told me to stop playing games."

The group eyed this newcomer strangely, "Who're you," quacked Donald.

The boy's green eyes lit up at the question. "Hey," He stepped forward, and put a hand out, "Zenver Lapite-Zen for short-it's great to meet you."

Donald looked at him for a long moment, and shook his hand.

"So when's this dream gonna' end? Being in the presence of my two favorite Disney and four favorite Square characters is driving me crazy. It's almost as outlandish as my last one."

"Who are you, again?"

"Zen Lapite! Didn't you hear me before?" The boy sighed. He stroked his raven-colored hair and looked about the chamber. "Looks like we're in Shin-Ra headquarters, huh. I don't remember these papers, though." Zen knelt down next to Rufus at the pile of red-stained papers. "Rufus of Shin-Ra, right. You all look much more different in person, you know?"

Completely mystified by the stranger, no one said anything. Aerith watched him as he went back and forth, talking to each of her friends; _He's innocent, and fun loving, and youthful._ She nearly laughed, but her gaze was on Sora. She gasped, nearly slapping herself for forgetting about him. "He's not waking up!"

Zen turned around, "There's a new face," He jumped over. He didn't seem any taller than Sora, either. "What's wrong with him?"

Aerith looked at Zen, "He fell into this trance when you popped out of that big, purple sphere."

Zen placed a hand on Sora's arm, "He's pretty cold. You sure he isn't dead?" The boy turned Sora's arm over and felt his wrist for a pulse. Sora's body shuddered, and Zen backed away. An item suddenly formed in his hand, "What's this?"

The keyblade shone brightly, magical in every aspect. Zen got up from the floor and proceeded to put the weapon down. When backing away, the weapon teleported back into his grip. "What's going on here? Is this even a dream? Slap me!"

With that, grinning, Donald let Zen have a punch to the face. Donald misjudged, and broke the boy's soft skin, causing the cheek to swell somewhat.

"Augh! Pain! This isn't a dream!" He fell backward, staring at Sora, past the keyblade in his hand.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XV**

"Is he alive?"

Cloud knelt at Sora's side, placing a hand on the boy's head, on the cold floor. "He's alive, but not…"

"As if that made any sense," Donald pointed at the blonde.

"Would you like to see for yourself, duck?"

Donald waddled over, webbed feetflapping,and looked Sora over. "He can breathe, but he's… hollow."

"We have to find a way to bring him back, he's helped us before," Aerith said, looking down on him.

Cloud turned his gaze toward Zenver. "How did you get here?"

The mysterious boy shook his head, "I don't know _how _I got here. Everything's blurry between when I fell asleep and fell out of that stupid portal." Zen began to explore the area the portal had closed in.

Cloud shook his head and hefted Sora onto his shoulder, "We have to leave, if Sephiroth can travel between worlds…"

Donald piped up, "This is a disaster, we need to stop them!"

Cloud arched an eyebrow, "Unless you have some master tracking abilities up your sleeve, we won't be finding them very soon."

The duck let out a quack of disdain, crossing his arms, _As if you did, huh?_

Cloud looked long at Aerith, and walked away, down the stairs.

"Well," Zen said, standing beside Goofy, "Looks like I'm coming with you guys."

Goofy guffawed and pat him on the back, "Of course you are, you're the keyblade master!"

Zen's green gaze searched Goofy's strange face, "You'll have to explain just what that means on our way out of here."

While venturing onto the elevators, the tall stranger explained the story from the beginning. He elaborated on King Mickey's disappearance, the meeting of Sora, the keyblade, and Ansem. "There was more stuff in between, we were fighting Heartless on other worlds, y'know."

"Heartless?"

"Evil creatures," Aerith added onto the conversation. "They destroy worlds, gradually. The keyblade is a defense against them, they fear it."

Zen's green eyes fell toward his sneakers and, sure enough, the keyblade appeared. "If I was destined to have this keyblade, why now? I'm only fifteen."

Goofy chuckled childishly, looking out the elevator window. Midgar was all lit up, save Sector Seven. "Sora was only fourteen when he took it up! I'm sure you'll be a great addition."

"So you two are in it for the King, right? Nothing else is keeping you going?" Zen's eyes lifted from the keyblade and found Donald's.

The duck, caught off guard, nearly fell over. "Hey, bucko," He began to quack, "We're Sora's friends, theirs too." He pointed toward the rest of the group. Cloud was turned toward the door, Tifa listening on the conversation subtly, Barret looking at the ceiling, and Aerith was watching the Midgar landscape.

"Is that before or after you knew he was a keyblade chosen?" Zen chuckled to himself, though he didn't press the issue further.

"Looks like we're not out of this yet," Cloud grumbled, staring a group of Shin-Ra soldiers in their masked faces through the now open elevator door to the first floor. The blonde handed Aerith the boy and jetted out to face the onslaught.

"Let me through! I want to see what this thing can do!" Zen pushed and shoved and got out of the elevator. He pushed some black hair from his forehead and hefted the keyblade at a Shin-Ra soldier.

The man easily dodged, and kicked Zen away before aiming an oiled machine gun.

Barret stepped forward, out of the elevator, and let loose on the Shin-Ra soldier. He lumbered over to Zen and heaved the boy onto his feet. "Watch it, this ain't one of those 'games' you were talking about."

Zen nodded, _It's worse._

After Cloud dispatched the others, the rest stumbled out of the elevator. Zen stared at the enemies on the floor, "Where are we going?"

"We're getting out of here," Cloud looked around, "But not out the front door."

Sirens, voices, and feet could be heard through the large doors.

"We'll go out the back," Cloud decided, and ran off. "Get to the vehicle bay, I'll meet you all there!"

The group obliged, and with Aerith pointing, made their way to the parking lot. There was a teal-colored truck at their disposal, and they decided to take it.

As Zen was hopping in the back, he couldn't help but notice Shin-Ra officers mounting motorcycles behind them.

"We're going to have company," He screamed, "Go!"

Hitting the gas, Aerith steered the truck out of the parking garage and onto a main highway.

Cloud appeared, driving a Shin-Ra motorcycle. He wielded his Buster Sword, ready to cut down any opposing Shin-Ra on the highway.

As soon as they reached a long stretch, the soldiers appeared through the fog on the left side of the truck. Cloud turned his head and slowed down. As soon as he was out of the way of the truck, he made a sharp left. This action allowed Cloud to get closer to the enemy motorcyclist. As soon as he was in range, the mercenary hacked at the enemy motorcycle. A single slash sent the man and machine flying. Cloud grinned, and repeated the action on the next few Shin-Ra brave enough to try.

With Cloud handling the Shin-Ra, and Barret watching from the truck, everyone started to feel safe.

Zen wrinkled his nose at the smell of exhaust and the natural stench on everything in this city. He looked toward the sky to see darkness. "Have you ever seen the stars," He asked Barret.

The man almost grinned at him, "Way back when, at this place called Cosmo Canyon."

Zen prodded into the topic, "Are we going to go there?"

Barret looked at him, "I dunno', depends on what we decide to do when we're outta' here. All of us've been fightin' for a few days now, we need rest, y'know."

Zen nodded, _I can't believe I'm IN. This is reality, now. My reality._


	16. Chapter 16

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XVI**

They neared the end of the highway, the same place Cloud spotted Sora from a few days before. The moon was out, but the stars weren't showing. The group, one by one, hopped off of the truck and onto the road.

"These are amazing!" Donald was ecstatic.

Cloud heaved himself off of the Shin-Ra motorcycle and looked at the duck. Aerith looked over his shoulder at a packet of papers. They weren't bound, but held together in the corner by a golden ring through a small hole in the upper left hand corner of each page. The pages ruffled as Donald went through them again.

"What is that," Zen asked, stepping forward.

"It's research by a doctor, I can't see his name on the last page, the packet is kind of…" He held it up. The bottom right corner was splotched in a red stain, along with some minor splats across the front page.

"That must have been the man that disappeared," Goofy suggested.

Donald nodded, but Cloud spoke, "We can analyze it at the nearby town. Come on." He began to climb downward on a rope to the dusty plains.

Zen shrugged, and followed, with the rest of the group behind him.

* * *

They walked the plains for an hour, and dust had gotten everywhere. Zen wiped the foreign material from his eyes and trudged on. The others were having trouble with it, too.

The group became content when they reached the end of the dust-area and came upon a grassy field that stretched from the beach to the nearby mountains all around Midgar's dust-plain. Zen took one look back on Midgar, and walked on to meet the town of Kalm, which stood before them.

It was a cobblestone town, littered with inhabitants. The stench of food always filled the air, and the group could finally see the stars. Zen looked up, and saw a star blink out of existence. Another star flew across the sky. "Look at that, guys!"

The group saw it, and some looked horrified, though they knew it had happened already. Barriers between worlds fall when stars shoot across the landscape. When that happens, people can travel between worlds without much hassle. When stars disappear, it means a world has disappeared. Occasionally, people from other worlds wind up in a different one, they had escaped the destruction. The world was devoured by the Heartless, but which one was it?

* * *

While the females were getting bathed, the men gathered in the Kalm hotel room. "Let me see the papers," Said Cloud.

"No, I'm not finished reading them," Donald reasoned.

The man sighed and crossed his arms.

Zen looked at the ceiling. It was made of tin, and the paint was chipping. Piece by piece, it was slowly flicking to the black tin underneath.

Donald read the parchments closely, "He did a whole study on hearts! This is marvelous!"

Zen sighed and closed his eyes. He then proceeded to slip out of that plain consciousness and into the world of slumber.

* * *

"Well, you look different, but I guess it doesn't matter." She stepped up behind him. "Can't you just fall asleep more often?" The red-haired girl hugged Zen from behind. She was warm, and he seemed to catch it like a cold.

"Hey-uh," The boy looked around, she had disappeared. The warmth started to fade. He adjusted his t-shirt and stepped forward, for whatever reason. The sound of his feet against a cold slab of concrete echoed through the imagination.

_What a strange dream,_ He thought to himself.

"This isn't right, you know, you're here for a purpose." A frail old man at a desk, sitting in a large mahogany chair materialized before his eyes. "Just don't lose sight of it, haha."

"What're you talking about?"

"Oh, yes, I remember what I did, now. Well, you don't have to worry about it. At least, not yet. Follow your group. You'll find something interesting about yourself sooner or later. Remember this, haha, and tell them, no heart is perfect." The old man chuckled with a weak throat and waved Zen away. He promptly de-fragmented before Zen's emerald eyes before he could reply.

"Don't worry, I'm here." The girl appeared, again, in the same position she left.

"What's going on here," Zen unlocked himself from her gentle grasp, and turned around. Irritation flowed through him.

"You'll figure it out, hee." She winked and began to walk away.

* * *

"Hey, shouldn't we wake him?"

"Nah, let him sleep. He's been through a lot, as we all have."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XVII**

Zen awoke to a sharp prod in his side. He snorted and got up, rubbing the pain. "What is it?" He looked around the room, everyone was standing except Sora and Donald, who, in fact, were on beds opposite Zen.

"You should probably hear what Donald finally has to read," Said Cloud, shaking his head. Barret nodded, looking directly at the duck, who was now flipping back to the first page.

"It begins like this:

Day one 

_I've gotten my funds from the… you know who, and they've assigned me to this top-secret laboratory in a world not even I know. Haha. I've got my specimens ready, and we'll begin testing tomorrow._

_Day two_

_Test subject one has a strange look to her, but that doesn't bother me. Not in the least. I should explain what we're testing for, right? Hearts, my friends. I'm a doctor that studies Hearts and Heartless. I've thrown myself into the strange world of darkness and pulled myself out like Ansem wouldn't have believed! He embraced it, but that's not what scientists and professors are to do! They have to stay neutral! There must be no fighting or disagreement or arguments about our findings, and our intelligence isn't just some new set of clothes to go gallivanting out to show off in! It's a subtle set of shoes, delicate and clean, shined and untouched until put on! It should be an experience, not some brigade of evil!_

_Day three_

_The female showed resilience to our testing. I should explain what we do to "test" their hearts. I've developed a complicated machine, one I put to use on myself for my colleagues to toy with and figure out risks and other things. Yes, I am that selfless. I could have been killed, but it would have been carried on by another brilliant doctor or scientist. Anyway, what I did was find special items that reacted to Hearts, which could be anything, really. A picture or meaningful object to that person will trigger something. When I've found out what makes them tick, I just apply it to my machine that projects and enhances an image into the subject's head. This way we can get a clean look at the Real Heart, the perfect heart. Another machine I hook up simply extracts this Real Heart for us to put into a stasis tube to study. I found this method through the Heartless. I can't quite explain it myself, but it does involve changing the subject's mood to reach in and bring out the heart. The person doesn't die, oh no. I couldn't bring myself to kill another human being. Keeping the Perfect Heart in a special stasis tube to be examined. There is no "real" way to study it, one has to get close to the Perfect Heart and experience the strange feelings given off by it. It's quite fun and exhilarating. _

_Day four_

_The subject had some strange emotions in her Perfect Heart. But, as we hadn't predicted, no memories or images were shown. Someone once told me, "Hearts have memories engraved on them. Memories that can't be easily taken or ensnared or stopped." I'm beginning to doubt him highly, if all I can get from this Perfect Heart is… well, I'm not going to explain it. We'll move onto the next test subject the day after tomorrow._

_Day five_

_More testing on the female, not only does she express feelings in such a strange way unknown to me, but there is also no strand of doubt or evil in this Perfect Heart! This is marvelous! We must push back the next subject, I must test further!_

_Day six_

_I was most enfuriated today. The female's heart has… disappeared. My assistants and colleagues claim it was still in the stasis tube before leaving the facility. We really should put up surveillance. Does no one realize what happens if a Perfect Heart remains out of stasis for long!? Heartless appear! This is but the second reason for their reappearing after those monsters closed the fabled Kingdom Hearts. Blast it all! _

_Day seven_

_This test subject is male, and not quite as resilliant as the female. His Perfect Heart has shadows, doubts, fears. These things, when I experience them, are horrifying. There is not one shred of evidence containing a happy "memory", or feeling, as my friend would put it, at all. Interesting, indeed._

_Day eight_

_I do believe Perfect Hearts can decide when to show certain emotions and when to shield them! If only the first one hadn't gotten away! Today we discovered some touching moments until it turned to ash in our minds. We'll move onto the next subject tomorrow, there is more to be solved!_

_Day nine_

_We opened the third subject's Perfect Heart and set it out next to the other, and got a reaction! How strange! They seemed to collide! The newest one seemed to glow a dull yellow and the opposite a dark gray! Does this have something to do with their moods co-existing? Strange indeed!_

_Day ten_

_We tested the newest subject alone from the other Perfect Heart, but something strange happened. The feelings I felt, the same ones, I can recall nearly heaving up my breakfeast again, were one in the same when I compared them to the second subject's. After extensive research I found more feelings on it, warmer and more tender than the other's. Let's see what happens._

_Day eleven_

_More testing of the emotions on this third Perfect Heart, sigh. It has more feelings, both mixed between depression, rage, and calmer moods. We finished early today, we will be trying something new tomorrow!_

_Day twelve_

_I've forgotten to mention we spoke to the test subjects before removing the Perfect Hearts. The female would rarely open up, wouldn't even tell us her name. Our gracious bosses, who still fund my discoveries, didn't tell me where they got these…kids. Yes, they're all kids! I requested them to be. I do believe kids have **the** most perfect Perfect Hearts than anyone on any world! All of the evil ideas and queer thoughts interrupt them when they reach puberty, and they are worthless to my experiment. I think the time right before that happens is the best, they have all the emotions required, or "memories", as my friend would put it. The second subject was ruthlessly enraged by nothing in particular. I am beginning to question his sanity. The third is quite harmless, responds to caring expressions with love like a flower to the sun. With that out of the way, I'll move onto what we did today. After testing numerous times, putting the Perfect Hearts back in their bodies, causing the children to pass out each time, we decided, "What would happen if we put the Perfect Heart in the wrong body?" Well, curiosity got to us, and we attempted it. The second subject's Perfect Heart was inserted into the third's, and guess what! The third awakened, with the mind of the second! This is a find indeed! Is it possible the brain does not serve as our central thinking after all?_

_Day thirteen_

_I was wrong! The third boy accepted the Perfect Heart, but isn't exactly the second! He has no memories of anything, even if my friend were true! He inhibited the feelings and emotions of the second boy, not the real experiences and memories! He can't even explain them himself, when we finally calm him down. My, oh, my._

_Day fourteen_

_We got the same results, though it was really vice versa the first, and the second boy was more open. He even explained to us some things about his past. It's all so saddening, though. I thought I was onto something, that my friend was correct in saying Hearts could contain memories. What will I do now?_

_Day fifteen _

_They brought in a new experiment, haha. This one is strange. They told me his history, too! He was created! Well, all of us are "created", but this one wasn't born from a mother and womb! My bosses claim the boy was created by **their** boss. I'll test with this one, haha._

_Day sixteen_

_Strange indeed. They must have created some kind of memories for him, he knows sadness, hate, happiness, and everything. He seems to be the most balanced of them all. Those blue-suited executives of mine will never understand my work! I'm to go to a meeting tomorrow. I will write when I have the time. Possibly during then, so I'll bring this along. _

Doctor A------- 

_Namse_

Donald stopped reading, and took a long, exasperated gasp. "I don't know what Namse is, do any of you?" He looked at them. They were all engrossed in the tale. Zen spoke up,

"I don't know what his name is, but he sounds like a freak." The boy hopped off of his bed and stretched. "When are we leaving this place?"

Everyone turned to Cloud.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XVIII**

"Why doesn't Barret lead for a change?" The blonde walked down the staircase and out of the inn. The group sat in silence, but Zen broke it, "There _was_ something I was supposed to tell you guys… about the dream I just had."

The females smiled, Goofy listened in, and Donald looked out the window. "This old guy, I can't really remember his face, he told me to tell someone that, 'No heart is perfect", or something. And some red-haired girl kept appearing in my dreams, too."

Aerith looked long at Zen, the boy looking for answers, "He must know we have his research papers. Somehow he's contacted you through your slumber. None of it makes sense, either. This whole Perfect Heart thing makes me dizzy."

Donald nodded, "It's all confusing, but if no heart is perfect, why did he call them Perfect in his reports? What is the significance in telling us that?"

Zen shrugged, "Maybe we should just move on. Can someone tell me why those two are here in the first place?"

Donald sighed, "We were ordered to follow our friend, Sora, before our world was… destroyed." The duck managed to wipe away a tear before anyone saw. He turned to them. "Sora had some kind of vision, that Queen Minnie knew about, and it brought him to this place. The vision also, supposedly, told him to visit two other places, one of which he's been to before. He was ordered to purposefully meddle with other worlds' business! By a dream! But, then again, if he didn't, we'd all be Heartless right now." Goofy shuddered. "Anyway. What I gathered from Cloud, when Sora was knocked out after the Pillar collapsed, there is a way to stop the new Heartless from spreading. We failed in doing that when Jenova got away. This is why we're here."

Zen was sitting, in thought. "I wish I knew why I was here." _Or, at least, what I'm supposed to do now._

Cloud called the group down just as a faint motorized sound echoed from the air. The party formed outside the inn, amidst the cobble-stone street and citizens of Kalm. The engine sound grew louder until a hulking metallic airship erupted from over the horizon. The group made their way to the outskirts of Kalm at Cloud's suggestion, and watched as the airship landed before them. Cloud had his weapon out, ready for a fight. Aerith giggled and made him put it away. "He's a friend, don't worry. I'll handle it."

The mercenary stared into her eyes, but couldn't hold the stare, and looked up.

A man threw open a door on the deck, and ordered his crew to tie the machine down. He proceeded to toss a ladder down and climbed toward the group.

* * *

"I knew this day'd come eventually, I got her ready and flew over as soon as I could," Cid, an older gent with goggles strewn across his forehead and a light, blue jacket on, said, when everyone gathered at the Kalm pub to talk. Zen kept himself busy by ordering non-alcoholic beverages alongside Donald and Goofy while the others talked about current events. "Heartless, everywhere. Cities are being engulfed, it's as bad as the Hollow Bastion."

Cloud nodded, needing not reminisce on the subject. "Do you know where the source is?"

Cid scratched behind his ear and shrugged. "It keeps moving! We've got this detection grid of the entire planet, but we can't pinpoint the source, yet. They must be surveying the destruction, I don't know where they'll end up."

"Maybe if we wait it out-,"

"No! The Planet could be gone by then," Aerith exclaimed, on the brim of tears. One of her delicate hands gripped Cloud's gloved ones. "We can't wait, we need to find them and stop it!"

The man sighed, not making eye contact, and turned to Cid, "Let's go up, then." He turned to Barret, "Get Sora, we're leaving."

Barret nodded, and complied, leaving the pub.

Aerith gripped Cloud's hand, "We're going on the Highwind… It'll be great."

Cloud nodded, but never looked in her direction, and walked out with his big sword.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XIX**

The interior of the Highwind was comprised of all machinery and metal. Coils and wires strewn across the ceiling and under the main catwalk to the control room, where the pilot flew the Airship and crew gathered. Different terminals with fanciful buttons and strange switches litter the control room. This control room, being at the head of the Highwind, contained an exceedingly large front window for the pilot to judge when to land or accelerate. While Cid explained the Highwind from front to back, Zen remained quiet, absorbing the experience. The others watched on, knowing this Airship to be a Shin-Ra weapon, also. "I also figured you guys'd need my help, seeing as how the source's origin was Midgar."

"That doesn't explain how Aerith knew about you," Said Cloud.

"I told her about the Highwind before the planet was put back together, would you lay off with the accusing eyes and tone? Gee, whiz." Cid grumbled and finished the tour at the meeting room. Chairs sprawled around an unkempt table lie in the center, and Cid points the group into a sleeping quarter for each party member, including Sora.

Zen avoided Sora at all costs, knowing how he reacted to Sora when he drew close. While Sora was still inert, Tifa volunteered to change the old bandage on his head. "He might wake up," She said, then, knowing how silly it was to say that, she said, "That is, if he's sleeping. He won't want to realize his head is infected." She nodded at her own statement and went off to do so.

Zen arched an eyebrow and walked away from the group as they were preparing their rooms, and walked among the fresh wires and metallic insides of the Airship. Experiencing this from a game's perspective was much different, and less scary, than being inside for real. He didn't mind, but headed toward the control room.

"See these purple splotches on this here map?" Cid pointed at a holographic map before him and Zen. The details were near perfect, mapping out elevations and colors as if you were looking at the Planet itself from the Highwind. Huge purple spots are gradually taking the Planet by force. "That's where the Heartless are currently. They've taken Costa Del Sol, Junon, Corel, Mount Nibel, and…" He looked north of the Nibel Mountain chain, "Holy smokes! They just took Rocket Town!" The man looked infuriated, and walked away from Zen. The boy studied the map, noticing a pattern.

"I think I know where they're going to hit next!"

Cid Highwind turned to the kid, "How would you know?" He stumbled over.

"They've cut off the ways off of the continents by sea, now they'll try to take each separated continent piece by piece. I don't know how they acted so fast, but I think the Gold Saucer will get hit, next."

"That's…" Cid watched the Gold Saucer. "Not too bad, kid." He turned to the pilot, "Steer and accelerate for Gold Saucer, double time!"

As soon as the Airship began to turn, a monstrous shape seemed to get larger, aimed toward the Highwind itself. Cid watched the thing, and then turned to his map. Huge shapes began to cloud the sky. One landed in the oceanic deep, another surfed the waves, one dug itself into the sands below the Gold Saucer, another stirred and began to make its way to Midgar, and the last was going to collide with the Highwind.

Aerith appeared, suddenly, "The Weapons!"

"What? What're you saying, woman?!" Cid screamed, and ordered the pilot to flip the emergency levers while Cid took the controls. "We're not going to take this thing head on! We've gotta' move!"

Zen's eyes widened at the oncoming danger. Weapons were humongous creatures not to be dealt with lightly. _The one flying is inevitably going to be the Ultimate Weapon_, he thought. Details seemed to scream out at the watchers, as the Weapon got closer. Gigantic wings that didn't seem to move kept aloft its hulking body.

Cid spoke into the comm. Microphone, "Brace yourselves, there're two switches I've been dying to touch! This step's gonna' be a loo-loo!"

The Airship shuddered, and the rear fans fell off, opening up space for two turbo-engines to emerge. The engines flared blue, and the Highwind sped away from the path of the Ultimate Weapon. Caught off-guard, the Weapon stopped in its tracks, and seemingly dismissed the fly in the air to fly over mountains and rivers to reach its destination.

Zen was sent sprawling from the holo-map, but Cloud appeared in time to stop him from colliding with metal. "Thanks," He said, but wasn't seemingly heard.

Cloud stepped forward with a certain grace, despite the motion of the Airship, and approached Cid, who was having trouble piloting the aircraft. "Need some help?" He offered.

"Yeah, just hold that thing in place-there, you got it. Now hold it steady while I bring us to a slow." Cloud held onto a small lever, steady amidst the lights flickering and floor rumbling.

No sooner said than done, Cid pulled the Airship to a stop, a few miles above the gambling arena known only as Gold Saucer. Cid adjusted his goggles and slapped Cloud on the back, "You did it! Good job, I'm feeling sick." The Highwind's captain slowly strode away. Zen, feeling himself out for any sickness like Cid, took in a deep breath.

Aerith stopped clutching to a flight terminal and stood up straight. Mimicking Cid's voice, slightly, but taking Cloud's hand, she said, "You did it!"

Zen turned away when Cloud began to smile, and lean closer to Aerith.

Donald and Goofy ran up the metal catwalk, followed by Tifa and Barret. "What happened?" The duck quacked, obviously disturbed.

"Weapons. Aerith'll tell you about them. Wake me up when we're ready to go into the Saucer." The boy looked fatigued, though he had experienced sleep about ten hours before. Donald nodded, and the group shuffled past him.

Zen's white, running shoes slapped against the metal catwalk, he started to shiver. _When did it get so cold in here?_

"When the Heartless appeared."

Zen looked at the man from his previous dream, "You, again…what do you want?"

"I came to introduce to you a friend of mine. Well, he used to be a test subject, but what the hey, he knows the real you. Riku."

A silver-haired, green-eyed boy stepped out from behind the old man.

Something struck at Zen's heart. He recognized this older boy, but couldn't quite place how. "Who are you?" He was at his knees, already.

"It doesn't look like him, but he gives off the same aura as…" The boy was wearing a yellow and blue baggy jumpsuit with black suspenders and dark shoes. "Does this prove what you were trying to prove, Doctor?"

The oldest man in the room stepped forward, his neck and lower features all hidden by his black cloak strewn across his shoulders. The cloak's end seemed to fade in the air as it billowed out behind him and back. "It doesn't prove, it just puts me one step closer to what he was saying. Does he remember you, or not?"

Riku started to speak before Cloud appeared on the catwalk. "You two, get out of here. Leave him alone."

"But don't you want to know what happened to Sora, Mister Mercenary?" Riku laughed.

Cloud snorted, "Get off this Airship, or I'll be forced to throw you off." The rest of the group appeared behind Cloud, to witness the events.

Zen pushed himself from the metallic floor, "No, Cloud, let me handle this." He put out a hand toward his new friend. "I need to figure out what they're trying to tell me." In that same hand appeared the Kingdom keyblade. "I know how to use this, now. I can… feel it."

Riku flipped backward, off the catwalk, to end up on a large grating of metal above Airship wires. You could see past small circles and into the heart of the Airship. Zen gave one look to the creator of those haunting papers, and jumped after Riku.

The old man shook his head as Cloud started to leap toward him, only to collide with an invisible wall. "My name is Doctor Namse. In case you were wondering, the dark splatters on the group of papers only hid 'And Scientist', haha. None of you have heard of me, I can tell."

Cloud grunted, falling onto the catwalk, helpless.

A swing and a miss, Riku's larger keyblade darted past Zen.

"Ha!" Zen side-swiped, only to be parried. Both boys were forced backward in their respectful directions, only to get ready to charge again. Their keyblades locked for a few seconds, little sparks of energy started to fly.

"Give it up," Said Riku, as he deflected Zen's keyblade to his right, and punched the boy in the head as he unwillingly spun with the force. Zen shredded his cheek on the grating, but forced himself up. Despite the injury, Zen screamed at his foe and began his next attack.

Riku, impressed and overconfident, hardly managed to block the next keyblade flurries delivered by the other keyblade wielder. "Stop, Sora! We shouldn't be fighting!"

The other boy halted his rage, "What'd you call me?"

Riku smirked, and jumped back up to the catwalk, alongside Namse. "Can we give Sora his heart back? He doesn't remember me."

Namse smiled, laughing. "I've proven my cousin wrong, oh Ansem. Your research and hard work after being defeated by that sniveling boy, all for naught. Hearts contain no memories at all! And I've already proven they were imperfect, thanks to Riku, haha."

The menacing voice coming from the old man darkened as he kept speaking.

Riku looked at Zen, but turned to the dark portal behind him. He clenched his fist before leaving the Airship.

Namse gritted his teeth, taking in the seemingly sweet emotion. "Maybe I'll tell you all some more next time we meet. Until then, goodbye." He followed Riku, with a severe limp in his right leg.

Zen kept his gaze steady, even after the portal disappeared. A few moments later, and the lights seemed to turn off, as he fell to the floor once more.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XX**

_Not this again,_ Zen thought to himself, walking in his imagination. He felt his cheek, it was clean and untouched. As he stepped deeper into the dream, a girl started walking beside him. She took hold of his hand, making Zen turn to her blue eyes. "I can't keep asking the same question again, so. Let's get this over with."

The red-haired girl laughed childishly, in Zen's point of view, but kept walking with him, silent and smiling. "You said you'd come back, and I'm still waiting. You know?"

He sighed, "No, I regrettably don't, Kairi." _Wait, back up._ "Whoa, what's going on here?" He stopped walking, and she tugged at his hand. The girl looked up at him, and spoke, though he didn't hear the words.

He was prodded awake in a similar fashion as before. "Get up, we're leaving." Donald was quacking orders. Zen sat up in the bed he was previously lying in.

He looked out the window of his room. Heartless were swarming at the base of the Gold Saucer. Something unexpected happened, then. A huge red Weapon, known as Ruby, jumped out of the sand. The humongous monster swiped at the large Heartless horde, taking out hundreds of shadows and soldiers. The Heartless shied away at this flex of power, and Zen watched as they backed away from the desert of Corel Prison and onto the grassy plains. The darkness made a circle around the desert, so as not to disturb the Ruby Weapon.

Zen shook his head and felt the cheek wound. Tifa's simple and clean handy-work with a bandage lie on it now. He touched it with his fingertips and got out of the bed and followed Donald to the deck. The Highwind was lowering as they trudged toward the exit. The entire group gathered on the deck, Barret carrying Sora, who was slung over his shoulder. Zen questioned this, but Barret replied, "Never know what's gonna' happen. He'll be safer here, with us, than on the Highwind."

Zen nodded and understood the logic. He walked over to Cloud and Aerith, who were holding hands at the edge of the deck. They released each other to turn to Zen. "You fought pretty well," Cloud said.

Zen almost blushed, "Do we know where Jenova and Sephiroth are?"

Aerith looked down, "We'll just have to find them."

Tifa approached, "It doesn't look like we don't have to look very far," She pointed toward an open area in the highest Gold Saucer area. The Gold Saucer was a fair, fun place suspended in the air. It looked much like a branch sticking out of the ground with mushrooms branching out from it facing upward as well. All was done in gold. Each "mushroom" contained a few areas of interest, gambling, and games. The area, the one that Tifa had pointed to, contained another area where people watched a play put on by certified actors, though they didn't know it, most of the time. A dark portal was forming before their eyes as the Highwind lowered toward the spot.

Cloud let down the ladder, watching as it hit the one of the audience pews on its venture to the concrete floor. He spoke, "Wait here, I'll tie the ladder down, so no one will go flying." With that, the man made sure the Buster Sword was secure on his back, and placed his gloved hands on either side of the ladder. A look at Aerith, and he slid down the ladder faster than you could say "Whoa."

After rolling the ladder around a bench and fastening it to the concrete, Cloud motioned for the party to get down. While the group slowly made their way down the long ladder, Cloud noticed shadows forming at his feet. "Ugh," He said, before hacking one in half. Zen looked down, being the first one on the rope ladder, "They're going for the ladder!"

Heartless swarmed near where Cloud had fastened the ladder down, it was true. The blonde vertically slashed at the group, making them disappear altogether. Zen smiled, and hurried toward battle.

While Cloud was fending off the horde by himself, he failed to notice Sephiroth and Jenova emerge from the dark portal. Sephiroth smiled tenaciously and walked toward him, Masamune equipped. Zen stepped off of the ladder, and saw the white-haired man approaching. "Cloud!" He pointed toward Sephiroth.

The mercenary turned his focus to Sephiroth, "Zen, you handle the Heartless, I'll hold Sephiroth off, this time."

Zen looked into Cloud's eyes, though he knew the odds were against him, nodding before making a flick of his wrist, keyblade appearing, cutting a Heartless soldier in two.

Meanwhile, Cloud was already running toward Sephiroth, screaming.

Aerith stepped off of the ladder and moved toward Cloud before being surrounded by Heartless. She turned to run away, but was trapped. Zen was turned the other way, having trouble as well. "Cloud!"

Stopping in his tracks, almost slipping on the smoothened concrete, Cloud turned his head immediately. Only feet away from Sephiroth, the blonde began to run back toward his Aerith.

The Heartless began to close in on her, but Cloud brought his Buster Sword down on them with such rage, it shattered the concrete in front of Aerith. With precision, the mercenary cut all around her, decimating the Heartless within her radius. When they were well away, Cloud turned to face Sephiroth in the eyes. A swift punch to the gut set the blonde to his knees, the Buster Sword at his side, while he held his stomach. Sephiroth stepped past him, and toward Aerith. "No," Cloud roared, taking up his weapon once again. He brought it down on Sephiroth from behind, with a vertical cut, but the black-clad man brought the Masamune to meet the blow. Sephiroth wasn't even facing Cloud, his arm would have been out of its socket if he were truly human. He turned around swiftly, smiling.

Cloud's shocked expression made the man smile broader, but this gave Aerith time to run away. Zen finished off his half of the Heartless, while Donald, Goofy, and Barret dealt with the others with their weapons. Barret's machine gun-arm smoked with overuse. "Man."

Zen rushed toward Cloud, witnessing the blonde being heaved through a concrete bench. Rubble and smoke started to fill the area. Sephiroth stepped down the middle of the aisle, into Cloud's Buster Sword crater from before, and toward Zen. The boy swallowed hard, but Jenova let out a hideous moan. Sephiroth nodded, and appeared before Zen, instantaneously. Before the boy could react, the man's lithe fingers were gripping his t-shirt, wrinkling it. Sephiroth smoothed his hand against Zen's chest and muttered something incoherent to Zen. He felt something penetrating his heart, ripping at it, as if it were being torn to pieces. He froze in panic, his eyes looking at the dark sky. No stars appeared. Sephiroth motioned for Barret to come closer. The bigger man didn't move, but Sora did. The boy, apparently not inert at all, climbed off of Barret's shoulder and slinked out of his grip, walking toward Sephiroth. "If Sora can't embrace it, my mother's creation can. You three, hold them off while Mother and I finish this world."

"Yes, sir," Tseng said, appearing with Reno and Rude of the Turks.

"Forget Cloud, concentrate on Sora when he arrives, haha."

The Turks gathered around. Reno equipped his battle rod, Tseng had his arms crossed, and Rude was ready to pummel someone.

Sephiroth's hand never moved, but he placed his other hand on Sora's chest as well, when the boy stepped next to Zen.

Sephiroth was obviously concentrating, regardless of Donald's panicking, and Goofy's empty threats. Barret and the females stood stiff, unable to control their muscles. "It's done!" Sephiroth's gloved hands started to glow a deep blue, and both boys shuddered. Zen's emerald-green eyes looked into Sora's dark-blue ones. They began to shake, as if both were in seizures. Zen fell over, into Sephiroth's waiting arms, and Sora fell backward, into the small crater Cloud dug into with his sword. Sephiroth gathered Zen into his arms and walked toward Jenova, and waited for her to finish the Planet off.

"Let's take the big guy first," Tseng said, pointing at Barret, who had a broken machine gun. He was ready to use it as a melee weapon when Tseng was sent backwards, on his heels. Reno was smacked to the right, and Rude to the left. Riku appeared where Tseng was previously standing. "I don't think so." He looked in the crater, "Good to see you're back."

Namse appeared next to Barret, "We're here to help, don't interfere. Jenova must be stopped."

The big man nodded, motioning to his smoking weapon. Aerith stepped past the fighting and knelt at Cloud's side. The mercenary was in a sitting position, amidst some rubble, against the far wall of the area. His sword lay strewn among the rubble in front of him. "Don't worry, Cloud, I'll handle it." Aerith stood up, after casting a simple cure spell on the man she loved. Cloud stood up, pushing away concrete, despite his aches and pains, and grabbed her by the elbow, "No."

Riku batted at his three enemies professionally, and kicked one to the floor. The other two watched as this man hit the concrete, and turned to run. Riku motioned for Barret to pick Sora up out of the hole and gave pursuit.

"This ends now, Sephiroth," Riku said, stepping up behind the Turks on the stage. "Your play has ended."

Sephiroth turned to him with dull eyes, having been drained. Jenova screamed, and the Turks moved out of the way. A tentacle shot out to grab Riku, but the boy, sensing this, turned aside, and hacked it down. Jenova let out a moan of pain, and two tentacles shot at the silver-haired boy. Dodging those as easily as the first, Riku slashed through them like paper to the sword. "My turn." He charged it, jumping over tentacles lashing out at him, cutting at others, all before stabbing Jenova square in the face with the Oblivion keyblade. The monster let out a horrifying bellow, and pushed Riku away. The Heartless that had made up Jenova's newly formed face started to fall off, leaving the monstrosity headless once more.

"Mother! No! Finish the Planet and let us be gone!"

Jenova seemingly complied, and started to glow a bright green. The Gold Saucer began to shake.

Namse stepped forward, "We're too late, my friend. Let's save the people we can."

Riku grimaced, watching Sephiroth walk through a huge, dark portal to another world. "Let's go!"

Aerith supported Cloud to Namse's portal. "Are you coming with us?"

Namse and Riku both shook their head. "We've got business somewhere else. Tell Sora I said hi."

Barret nodded, and stepped through, Sora slung over his shoulder. Cloud nodded to Riku, heaving his Buster Sword with one hand, his arm covering Aerith's supporting shoulders. Tifa followed, and Donald and Goofy were the last to leave. "Thanks, Riku." Goofy said, before stepping in.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XXI**

"Can't give up now, Sora, you lazy bum," She said, walking him toward the light. His arm was over her shoulder, and his feet were dragging, though he tried to walk. "You're almost done. Then… after it's all over… I can tell you…"

His eyes opened. Feet shuffled over the floor. He was being carried, arched over a shoulder and looking at the ground. "Hey, put me down!"

Goofy started to cry, "I can almost hear his voice…"

Donald turned around, "He's on your shoulder, you big galoot! Put him down! He's alive!"

Goofy's eyes widened, and he bent down to put the little human down. "Gawrsh, sorry, Sora! Where'd you go? I thought we lost you!" He threw his arms around Sora and gave him a big hug. Donald stood idle, rubbing his beak.

"I can't really explain it, I was still here, with you guys, I could feel it, but…" The boy stroked his unkempt, brown hair. He sat down in thought, putting a gloved hand to his chin. "What happened between when I nearly died and now?"

Goofy looked to Donald for some support, Donald let out a sigh, "We met this kid named Zen… I don't remember how to pronounce the rest of his name, but he was able to wield the keyblade."

Sora summoned the keyblade to him, without a problem. "This one?"

Donald nodded, "We left Midgar, fighting Shin-Ra soldiers along that long stretch of highway, and took haven in a town not too far away from it. We then read the packet that was left behind by a Doctor And Scientist called Namse. He's related to Ansem, they're cousins, I think. We met up with Cid, fought Riku on the Highwind,"

Sora interjected, "Riku? What was Riku doing?"

Donald looked to Goofy, and back to Sora, "He fought with Zen, and teleported away with Namse. He called Zen Sora, though I don't know why." The duck rubbed his beak once more, "We went on, witnessing these creatures called Weapons, almost being hit by one, and tracked Sephiroth to a Golden gambling arena. We fought Heartless in a concrete amphitheater until Sephiroth and Jenova arrived. Cloud tried to fight, but Sephiroth stopped him each time." A look of disdain filled his eyes. "Sephiroth did something to Zen, and you, saying Zen was a creation of his mother's, Jenova. It still doesn't make sense to me. Why would Jenova create Zen? How would Jenova create fake memories in a boy that really hasn't experienced any? Why?"

He let out a set of frustrated quacks before he went on, "Riku appeared, and beat the Turks to the ground, then he proceeded to defeat Jenova, but it was too late. Before he could finish her, she glowed green and the world began to shake. Namse ordered us to go into this portal, and here we are."

Goofy looked around, "But where are the others?"

They ended up on a small plain of cushion material with strange designs on it, with an oversized window at the end of it. Sora leant over the edge of the area they were standing on, and saw an even larger area of wood. "This looks like a giant… room." They looked toward the ceiling, mobiles hung and against the walls were shelves and dressers littered with… nothing. The wallpaper was a landscape of clouds on a sky blue background. A shuffle at the window sparked the trio's attention. A man, from what it seemed, looked right at them. He was their size, had a transparent helmet on, and a space suit equally strange. His neck and head were covered with a purple material, and his chin was something to boast about. He jumped onto the bed and pointed his arm at the group, "Who are you? Show me your identification!"

The trio stepped backward, Sora spoke, "Hey," He waved a hand in front of him, "We don't want to cause trouble."

He was clad in a gray space suit lined with a lime green all around his helmet. His hand was curled into a fist, the opposite one ready to tap a big red button titled "LASER" on his bicep. There was a blue insignia on the strange man's chest, a globe with wings and a rocket aiming northward atop it. To the right of that was the lettering, "LIGHTYEAR", above a big red button. Three oval-shaped buttons lined the opposite side of the chest area. The man's eyebrow arched, "Were you sent as backup? From Star Command?"

Donald nodded, "Yes, Star Command sent us, we're not to be shot at with lasers!"

The spaceman put his laser-arm down and moved toward the group. "I'm sorry, comrades, but you didn't have Star Command equipment on! My name, as you should know, is Buzz Lightyear. Come on," He stopped suddenly, a large booming came from the door, which was ajar. "Let's move! He's coming!"

Goofy scratched his head, "Uh, who's coming?"

"Is his name Sephiroth?" Sora was looking at the doorway, keyblade in hand.

Buzz gave him a strange look, "I've never heard of this 'Sephiroth', we have to run from the giant!" The spaceman dove out of the window, the others swiftly following. They followed him onto the roof of the house until reaching a gutter, where they proceeded to slide down a pipe connected to the house, leading downward. Deciding it was better to find the friends somewhere else in this world rather than face the wrath of a giant, they allowed Buzz to lead the way; "I'll explain things when we catch up with Zurg's convoy!"

Sora rolled his eyes, _Of all the dark portals in the world, Namse sent us through one to this world._


	22. Chapter 22

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XXII**

Buzz moved fast, the trio almost had trouble keeping up with the tireless stranger. "It's good you three arrived so quickly, I was beginning to think I'd be the only one stopping Zurg." They moved over street by street, paved smooth with tar, littered with glass shards and traveled on by cars and trucks. It was an overall nice neighborhood, trees blocking out the sun, houses clean and kempt. Before they realized it, Buzz jumped into a bush. The others gave pursuit, before he put a hand up, amidst the leaves. "The convoy moves slowly, but there are many enemies guarding the enslaved aliens. Look," He pointed.

Sora got closer to the shrub's edge, and watched as numerous toys were being herded away, by Heartless Shadows. At that moment, one of the toys began to shake. Heartless were jumping on it, it had six metal legs and two claws attached to a platform with the head of a doll attached to its head. One of the eyes were missing, the other was colored sky blue. Sora had to look away from the creature; its hair was completely shaved, leaving the small bristles dotting the hollow skull.

"They're all toys!" Donald watched on. He turned his gaze to Buzz, "Are you a toy, too?"

Buzz stood at attention, "No sir, I'm the one and only Buzz Lightyear from Star Command."

Just then, the spider-like toy stopped shaking, and the Heartless backed away. It lifted its gaze to the other toys, and turned its head toward the bush. The fake eye popped out and onto the street, allowing view to the back of its head in two sockets. Sora froze in panic, "Does it see us?"

The creature turned away, and began herding the other toys in the same way as the Heartless, while growing larger. "They got Baby Head!" A blue-suited figurine half-attached to a skateboard cried, lifting his helmet-clad head, being forced along by Heartless. Another toy turned around, bouncing on a single spring beneath a muscled torso, which was attached to the head of a toy duck. It began to quack until the Heartless prodded it along. A set of legs without a torso, but a fishing pole protruding from the waist area, was with the group, also, along with a slinky with two halves of a dog on either side, followed by a female doll in a pink dress with a Shepard's cane.

"We have to free the convoy of Zurg's forces! Move out!" Buzz Lightyear jumped from the shrubbery.

Sora put out a hand, "Wait! Let me… explain…"

Donald and Goofy shook their heads, "Whoever he is, let's help. He probably can't do anything to the Heartless."

Goofy nodded, "He could use our help," And bound out of the hiding spot, taking long strides after the toy, followed by his comrades against the Heartless.

Buzz called out to the Heartless, "Over here, Zurg vermin!"

The Shadows turned their scrawny little heads, antennae twitching. They began to move toward Buzz.

"No, Buzz, they'll mind control you!" The only female in the group of captives screamed.

The spaceman went into a fighting pose, and began to bat the Heartless away with his hands and arms. A flurry of kicks and combination of punches sent quite a few of the Heartless sprawling into a nearby sewer. He began to jump into another group, but was smacked to the street by a huge claw. A white heart outlined in black appeared on Baby Head's forehead, and dark mists, fading away as they fled into the air from the shell's eye sockets, formed its eyes. Buzz was sent sprawling until he regained control of himself and halted, standing on two feet again. Baby Head grew twice its original size, towering over Buzz. A metallic leg sprang from underneath it and collided with Buzz's helmet. The plastic shattered, and the spaceman was sent backward, into a curb. He shook his head, "You'll pay for that!" He got up, despite the huge crevice in his helmet, and aimed his LASER arm. "Let's see how you do against this!" Buzz slapped the red button on his arm, and a red light started to blink on the edge of his wrist. "What… The LASER should work, it's certified by Star Command! It must be defective! The alien vapors must have fried its systems!" The space man shook his head in disbelief, his expression: disappointment. Before long, Baby Head crushed Buzz with two feet, grinding him against the street.

Sora lunged toward the Heartless, keyblade swinging. Donald and Goofy took the brunt of the Heartless defense, freeing the group of toys being walked to their demise. Goofy guffawed and sent Heartless flying, where they proceeded to meet a skillfully pointed lightning spell by Donald, and afterward disappeared for good. Sora carved his way through a Heartless line, and witnessed Buzz under the wrath of Baby Head. The boy leapt, before a Heartless attempted to claw at him, and landed on the Baby Head's metallic platform. The head turned around, the dark mist erupted, and encased Sora in shadow. Buzz took his chance, and forced the metallic legs to buckle with his weight.

Sora fell, stunned, caught by Goofy. "Wake up, Sora!"

The boy blinked, and stumbled out of Goofy's grasp. "Sorry, watch out!" He tossed the keyblade into an oncoming Heartless. Goofy smiled, "Hey, thanks, Sora!" And ran away to smack some Heartless with his shield.

Sora smiled, but turned to Baby Head. "Buzz, keep it busy, I'll get it this time!"

"Easier said than done!" The spaceman was rolling and dodging the many spider-like legs from above. Sora awaited his chance, keeping an eye on the Baby Head while cutting down Heartless with his keyblade. As soon as the Baby Head was completely attentive toward Buzz, Sora hopped away from the Heartless and proceeded to climb up the legs of the metallic walker. Well-placed footing and his lithe body enabled Sora to reach the top, and he subsequently brought his keyblade to the nearly bald skull. The creature shrieked in horror and angst, and began to fissure in half. The shell fell away, and a Perfect Heart left with the change of winds. The whole thing collapsed, and Sora jumped off, landing on his feet.

"We did it!" Goofy jumped for joy. Sora watched as Buzz stepped over, "Good job, Star Command will be proud. Where did you get a weapon like that?"

Sora shook his head, "We aren't from Star Command, Buzz. I tried to tell you that, but my friends and I played along, until now. We're really sorry."

Buzz looked at them, seriously, "If Star Command knew about this… well, they won't, because I wouldn't have finished this battle alone." He pointed to his damaged visor. "Thank you all the same. What are your names?"

Sora spoke for the trio, "I'm Sora, this is Donald," He pointed to a duck clad in a blue hat and long-sleeved shirt, "And this is Goofy," He motioned to the tallest one of the group.

"Nice to meet'cha, a-hyuck!" Goofy laughed.

Sora nodded, smiling, and turning his gaze toward the toys waiting nearby. A blond female in a bonnet stepped forward, "Thank you, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Buzz. We would have been hauled off somewhere if not for you all. My name is Bo Peep." Three sheep appeared from behind the billowing pink dress. "Baah."

Sora scratched his head; a crooked smile appeared on his face, "It's nothing, just what we do."

"You do that for a living?" She gasped and turned to the other two, "You let a little boy risk his life?"

Goofy and Donald frowned sheepishly, "He's the chosen of the keyblade," Goofy reasoned, "He has to fight, or we wouldn't have been able to stop the Heartless…"

Bo Peep sighed and knelt to reach eye-level with Sora, "Well, what you're doing is very brave. Just watch it, someone might miss you if you never return home."

Sora smiled and crossed his arms behind his bandaged head. "I fight for her," He admitted.

The woman smiled pleasantly and turned to Buzz. "There was another group, Woody was with them, a few blocks ahead of us. You can probably catch up to them. Bring my Woody home, Buzz."

The Slinky Dog stepped up, "Yeah, we can't lose him! What'll Andy think?"

Buzz looked at them, "Andy?"

The Slinky Dog tapped Buzz's shoe. "Andy puts his name on all his toys."

Buzz arches his eyebrow and sits down in the middle of the street. He lifts his foot up and examines it. It read a crude set of letters spelling "ANDY".

"A toy…?" Buzz looked at them in disbelief.

The toy dog lifted his own foot up, and the same name was carved onto it.

Buzz shook his head, "But…"

Bo Peep knelt at Buzz's side. "Talk about it later, the others are in trouble! Go get 'em, space ranger."

Buzz looked up, and nodded. "I'll think about it later. Let's move!" The spaceman heaved himself from the ground, "Which way?"

Bo Peep smiled again, "The way we were headed, they might have turned by now, though. Good luck." She began to round up the other toys. The man attached to the skateboard rolled over to the heroes. He used his hands only to drag the skateboard behind him.

"The name's Roller Bob, you can use me to catch up with them. They gotta' pay for what they did to Baby Head." He looked at the toy that was previously controlled by the Heartless.

Buzz smiled, "That'd help. Let's go!"

The other three jumped onto Roller Bob. "That way, Bob! We'll get 'em!"

The skateboard moved faster than the group could have traveled on foot, and they raced through the streets. A few intersections had passed by the time they caught sight of the other group of captives.

"There's Woody! Stop! We need to take them by surprise." Buzz was pointing to a taller toy with a cowboy hat on, brown hair, a cow skin vest and a yellow shirt striped in brown underneath. A sheriff badge pinned to the vest, he walked in long strides with simple blue pants with ends disappearing into his cowboy boots clapping against the sidewalk they tread upon. He was followed, being at the head of the group, by a large green dinosaur, an etch-a-sketch, a potato head, and a smaller group of small green army men with loud voices. Roller Bob came to a halt, scratching his hands up, but giving a thumbs up sign. Sora looked at the Heartless, "Is it just me, or will this battle be a little tougher?"

Bigger Heartless seemed to be wary of anyone, looking this way and that. Sora grimaced, "Can you guys handle the pot-bellies while I cut off the Soldiers?"

The others nodded, though Buzz really didn't know how to accomplish any of this.

As soon as they were about to rush into battle, a dark portal formed in front of Woody. The Heartless prodded him along, and the toy walked into the darkness. Buzz screamed, "No!" He began to run, but Woody was already through the strange gateway to another world. The Heartless turned; Sora, Donald and Goofy were following Buzz. Soldiers herded more of the toys into the portal. "Why are Heartless taking them away? I've never seen them act this way!" Sora breathed, running to catch up with Buzz.

It was too late, because the last of the Heartless stepped through the inter-dimensional door and disappeared. Buzz punched the ground with his fist. "Why couldn't I save them?"

The other three stepped up to him. "There wasn't anything you could do…" Donald attempted to help.

"Of course there was. He was too slow." Riku stepped forward, from behind a nearby tree. The sterling-haired boy shook his head and crossed his arms, his brilliant gaze blinking.

Sora's heart pounded, "Riku…"

He lifted his gaze from the sorry toy to meet Sora's gaze. "Hey, Sora. You missed out on a great battle. Jenova's still around, you know? Sephiroth, too. Why don't you come with me, and we'll stop them together? You don't need those two, they're dead-weight."

Sora had begun to think about it until hearing Riku's final statement. He frowned upon him, "They're not dead-weight! They're my friends! We've been through this already, I can't leave them." The boy gestured to Donald, Goofy, and Buzz.

Riku looked at each of them firmly, "Have it your way. I'll just beat Jenova on my own, and get back to Kairi."

Sora's heart thudded, feeling nearly out of his chest. "You… you saw her already?"

Riku nodded simply and stared Sora down.

"Well? How is she?"

Riku began to chuckle, "You should find that out for yourself. I can get you home faster, if you just ditch them." He pointed.

Donald was infuriated, "If you think Sora would leave us now, after all we've been through, you've got another thing comin'!"

"Yeah," Goofy said, in support, though still quiet within radius of Riku.

Sora nodded, "I'll find my own way back to Kairi. Nobody will stop me, either. What do you want, Riku?"

"I was just going to extend invitation, but that doesn't seem to work. Well, I won't fight you, but I know someone who will," He said, leaving from whence he came.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Heartless Imperfection**_

**Chapter XXIII**

"Why is he doing this," Sora thought aloud. The trio and Buzz were awaiting the enemy Riku said he would present. "Whatever it is, it must be strong… Riku doesn't want us to survive, but he doesn't want that to happen on his hands…"

Donald scratched his head, "That doesn't make sense, I think he's a wuss and can't beat us."

Goofy nodded, chuckling, "We're the best! A-hyuck!"

"I don't think so."

The four turned their heads to see a figure clad in black. Darkness covered his entire body, and the hood masked his face. He outstretched his right arm, and a keyblade appeared in his hand. His was a different version of the Kingdom Key, crusted over in bronze rust. In the next moment, he appeared between Donald and Goofy, taking the keyblade to Goofy's head, and kicking Donald away, Sora and Buzz were the only others standing.

Sora equipped his own keyblade, "Buzz, I can handle this, just watch out."

The space-toy nodded, and held his ground. Donald and Goofy seemed to be out of it, Sora hoped Goofy wouldn't receive tetanus. His gaze lifted to the enemy, burning with anticipation. His keyblade appeared in his hand, and he rushed it. "It's not that easy," The figure deflected the oncoming keyblade with an upward motion, and, with a spin-kick, sent Sora to the ground. Sora repeated this, only to get the same result, a sore body. "I had you figured for the master of all keyblade chosen, I suppose I was wrong." He spoke with a cold, emotionless tone that rang in Sora's head. "Maybe when you have potential, we'll fight again. I can see now that you have much to learn. Goodbye, Sora." As soon as Sora's eyes adjusted, he watched him step through a portal. Buzz remained aloof while Donald and Goofy recovered.

"Who was he," Asked Donald, crossing his feathered arms.

"He didn't look too nice," Goofy rubbed the spot where the rusted keyblade had touched him.

"I don't know…" Sora was sitting on the pavement under a large tree, in thought.

Buzz flipped his visor off. "We should go back to the others, the enemy might appear again."

Sora looked at him, and nodded. The four warily made their way back to Andy's home. The group shimmied up the gutter pipe and slowly made their way to Andy's window. Noise was emitting from the room inside the house, but there weren't any giant steps, as Buzz had previously feared. He tossed himself through the window. The strangers jumped in as well, and were greeted by the toys they had freed earlier. Roller Bob volunteered to stay on the street to keep lookout while the four transmitted grave news.

"But… but…" Bo Peep stuttered, "Where's Woody?"

Sora shook his head, "In another world, with the Heartless. I don't know what's going on myself."

"Sora never did know what was going on. He never attempted to figure it out. Such is his lifelong tragedy of mystery and unhappiness." Namse spoke, leaning against the windowsill as small as anyone else.

Sora gritted his teeth, "If you and Riku can go wherever you want, why don't you just leave me alone and beat Jenova?"

Namse grinned, his pale features amplifying the fact that he was old. "Because we can't, of course. It'd all be over by now, but there are more tests to be done. No, we must destroy Sephiroth before Jenova. No easy task, and unthinkably stupid for you to try, if you couldn't beat _him_. No mistake, you need to get stronger. I suppose it wouldn't do me any good to interfere with destiny, but I can try." The researcher lifted his robed arms and closed his watery eyes; "I'll see you when you're ready. Not until then. Our paths lead to the same destination, but they aren't parallel. Nor are they neutral paths, we must tread carefully. Do what your heart tells you, and above all else, stay alive. More than a few significant persons strewn across the worlds would mourn at your passing. Good luck," Namse's complexion tightened, and a dark portal emerged from the over-sized bed Sora stood on. It reminded him of the time at Destiny Islands, when he saw Riku swallowed whole. Sora began to sink, along with Donald and Goofy. All of the toys backed away; they were quite afraid.

Sora grimaced, but couldn't find his voice. Instead, warmth flowed through him, something sent the signal, "It'll be alright."


End file.
